Mermaid's Garden

Can’t think of anywhere else in Brooklyn let alone NYC that has quality retail seafood that can match this spot. A bit expensive maybe, but you get what you pay for. Good source for hard to find items like shrimp / lobster stock, fish stock, smoked haddock, razor clams, interesting pantry of tinned fish / various sauces and pastas.

Fishes! Incredibly high quality and knowledgeable staff. Mark makes some of the best food and soups and don't forget the fumet!

Best fish in the neighborhood. Bought black sea bass and snapper and the quality beats everything else around.

Mermaid’s Garden at the top of a very short list of best retail fish stores in NYC. Their product is meticulously sourced and the quality is always top notch and leans into supporting sustainably sourced options. Their carefully chosen little market of pantry gems has that cuttlefish ink for your squid risotto and yes, I would love a lemon or lime with my order. Everyone on the team cares and again their quality is unimpeachable.

Absolutely incredible. Why not make two decadent dinners on a Monday and Tuesday? The fish was delicious in every way… can’t wait to come back again

5 stars for the quality of their products, but 2 stars overall for my general experience here. My first few visits were lovely and I've always found the staff to be so helpful. That being said, my latest visit was punctuated with shockingly rude behavior from someone behind their counter. Upon ordering a list of items, I was informed the clams I requested were sold by the piece which is an easy enough concept to understand. I gave a weight of what I would ultimately need but she persisted to ask me how many that was which was bizarre considering she is equipped with a scale to determine that and it was how every other item was managed. She proceeded to very rudely and sarcastically count to me to explain how "by the piece" is calculated. Verbatim and with such snark she said, "You know, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...". Even after dealing with her attitude, I remained neutral to complete my order. Another person behind the counter even began to step in to assist the order -- it seemed like they could sense how unpleasant it was all becoming. I'm empathetic to people having bad days, but in a role where you're mainly interacting with people and fielding questions, there has to be a standard of how you can treat customers. After that, I'm happy to begin trekking back to Fish Tales in Cobble Hill instead, where it's always pleasant.

They charged me $40 for 1 pound of shrimp. You can get the same pound of shrimp for $15-$20 at Fish Tales, who has better fish. They're more than overpriced. If a thief is going to rob you, they usually do it with a smile and courtesy, but they rob you with a typical miserable and dull, American malaise.

Excellent fish store with sustainable sourcing and delicious fish, as well as other odds and ends. It’s not inexpensive but in my experience with seafood you get what you pay for. They are my go to and have been a staple of our Christmas Eve for many years.

I come here every week. Literally- Every week. I always get the same thing. Today I was on the phone with my friend that has Covid trying to calm her down. I put the phone to my side and said hi can I please have that piece of salmon. " we don't serve people that are on the phone you have to hang up first". I replied shocked, you must be joking right? I was the only one in the store at the time. I cannot believe how disgustingly rude this worker was to me; For being on a call and ordering one piece of Fish. It does not matter how good or convenient this place may be, I will never support this business ever again for speaking to me the way they did for doing absolutely nothing wrong.

I'm so happy I discovered Mermaids Garden during the pandemic lockdown. In addition to it being a fish market, you can also join their fish share and pick up fresh filleted fish each week from a local pickup spot throughout Brooklyn. The fish is mostly local and all sustainably caught. It's $21.50/week and you find out what the weekly fish is the day before the pickup. They tell you where your fish came from and even the boat that it was caught on and some great recipe suggestions (often NYT Cooking recipes- -apparently Melissa Clark is a customer of the store). They also have special items (usually shellfish) available most weeks. Having to celebrate several holidays in isolation/just the 2 of us, we really enjoyed being able to make it special with caviar and shrimp cocktail all from Mermaids Garden (special items). If you go to the shop, the prices are definitely higher than the norm but what you are getting is far superior ...and how many shops can tell you the name of the boat on which your fish was caught and in some instances how the fish was sustainably caught even if the type of fish had been over-fished in the past. If the above is important and relevant to you, you may not mind paying extra...or for the best value, join the club with the weekly fish share!

Great seafood, if you're able to refinance your home mortgage you can get some great stuff here

Great fresh sustainable fish - courteous and knowledgable service and a perfectly clean establishment. What more could I ask for? Absolutely nothing. Mermaid's Garden is a wonderful seafood store and only steps from our home. We're there pretty much twice a week.

The entire point of going to a place like this over Union Market a block away is because either the quality is better, the prices are better, or you get a more personal experience. Well the quality is worse, the prices are somehow MORE expensive than Union Market, and the personal experience I got was AWFUL. I was getting two pieces of Mahi-Mahi to cook and the two pieces left in the window had massive bloodlines running through them. I asked the woman behind the counter if there were any pieces left without the bloodline in it and her response, talking to me like I'm an idiot: "Why wouldn't you want the bloodline? It's awesome." I don't know what planet she lives on, but the bloodline is not, in fact, awesome. I don't know if she thought I was a sucker, or just wanted to sell the last two pieces available, or if she's just the only person on the planet who enjoys eating the bloodline. So after pleading with her to cut the bloodline off, she rolled her eyes, cut it off, and gave me my two sad pieces of Mahi-Mahi. $48. I'll be going to Union Market for my fish from now on.

Fresh and delicious. Since the shutdown, I've been craving seafood, went in this store and bought two pounds worth of mussels which were the best I've ever had (at home and at a restaurant) for a grand total of $13, which fed two people. Came back for the oysters and they were UNREAL. For me, oysters are enjoyed with a strong drink and a certain ambiance. Well, nothing some candles at my house couldn't fix- ended up having one of the best pandemic meals. This store is a great neighborhood spot for the freshest seafood you can get your hands on.

Over priced, let me rephrase, ridiculously over priced. At these prices, one would expect more from the arrogant and condescending staff. The Royal family never paid this much for fish. Charter a fishing boat and save your money.

Truly exceptional quality. Yes, the prices are high, but good seafood is not cheap. We've shopped at quite a few fish markets, having lived in several different neighborhoods over the last 8 years in NYC; this one tops them all. Their products are fresher and significantly better quality than what you will find at the fish counter at, for instance, Whole Foods or Union Market. We no longer traipse to Wild Edibles at Grand Central Market for scallops, because Mermaid's Garden's are as good if not better and right in our neighborhood. It's a small, family owned shop that works with small family-owned fisheries and fishermen, which is another thing to feel good about. The shop itself is spectacularly clean and always smells fresh, a sure sign of the care that is being taken to provide the freshest and best quality food. We are fish share members -- the value is excellent. Very glad they've stayed open during quarantine. It's made our lives much easier!

Called and asked if they had crab legs because I was making a seafood tower. They confirmed and I came in and lo and behold no crab legs! Just a can of lump crab meat for $32. The seafood that was in the case didn't look fresh and was overpriced. Decided not to give them my business since I didn't appreciate their manipulation to get me in the door.

This is the best seafood we've ever bought. We shop here regularly. It's worth what they charge.

Great sustainable neighborhood seafood shop. Reminds me of the days when places specialized in specific foods rather than try to have everything under one roof. Yes, it's a bit pricey, but I'm happy to support local businesses where people seem to care about what they provide for you. Overall great quality. I've never been disappointed in anything I've bought here.

Quality is five stars. But it's very expensive, so an occasional treat. Not just the fish but the market products like Red Boat fish sauce. That costs $10 more than at any store or online. It seems unnecessary, and I can't afford it.

Excellent sustainable seafood, with exciting seasonal options to look forward to snagging year after year

I've spent years walking in and out of this place, hoping that the prices would simmer into the range of any other high end grocery fish counter, and I could go ahead and support them. Finally made a purchase of a $31 pound of tuna. It was, yknow, pretty good, no complaints. Except the price was scribbled on the packaging, and my gf saw it and asked me what i was thinking. I dont know what I was thinking. They told me they couldn't cut it, and I felt bad making them put it back.

Fresh crab made for delicious crab cakes. The sauce was awesome. Efficient service. Will have to try more.

Freshest fish in town. Considerably better than Whole Foods and much more wild caught fish. Hey, it ain't cheap, but then again, it ain't farm raised in its own filth. Knowledgeable staff providing good service. We've been going for years and we've never been disappointed.

The fish here is outstanding and fresh. Also local and sustainable. Problem is I can't really afford it. $27 for hake for two is above my pay grade. Sadly, I have to stay away.

Two days before Thanksgiving I came here and was absolutely shocked by how rude the employee was. Otherwise fine.

There is only one guy who works there is friendly and helpful. I will avoid dealing with the other staffs at all cost.

Great experience - nice aesthetic and good selection but prices can be absurd. Surprised that they charge twice as much per pound for a fillet than buying a fish whole.

My search for a seafood shop to buy fresh tuna steaks ended here and it was the right choice. Yes, pricier than average (about $6/lb more) than whole foods , but you're paying for convenience and the beautiful shop. Onto what's most important : the tuna . as soon as I opened the packaging, I took a bite. Sushi grade, beautiful color, tasted awesome. I would recommend !

My diet is supposed to have more fish than ever before. I don't know much about cooking fish, so I got their fish cakes for something quick. YUM. It is true that the personnel need better people skills. After selecting the fish cakes, she rushed me to the register even though I was also looking at fresh fish fillets. Were they offended I had canned tuna from next door? With the frequency of fish consumption I require, it can't always be from their quality but limited supply. My guess is that without competition, they don't feel the need to be nice. Their fish products are great though. (I also liked the soups).

Two stars. Yes, you can find high quality seafood at this store, but you'll pay a lot for it, and will receive a generous helping of pretension and rudeness on the side. Being snobby and aloof doesn't mean that you're some kind of elite establishment, too good for the riff raff of the neighborhood. It just means you're not nice. High quality, overpriced, unfriendly.

I come here every week to pick up my fish share. And oh my goodness..... the quality of the fish here is spectacular! Let me start off by saying I am very picky about my fish. Growing up in both Spain and Florida, I had fresh fish and seafood at my fingertips. Since moving to NYC, I didn't trust the fish sold in the supermarket, but missed it so much. Then my friend told me about Mermaid's Garden during this Pandemic. I immediately signed up for their fish share. What a game changer! Their fish is AMAZING. Yes, this pandemic is terrible, but it has been such a treat to pick up their fish weekly! They send you an email with the a few recipe ideas, they even tell you the name of the boat your fish was caught on, and the history of the fish. I am so happy to support this small business and the fishermen. Highly, highly recommend Mermaid's Garden!

I love this place!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyone here is so nice and sweet and yeah... maybe it's a little pricey but who wants to save a buck on SEAFOOD? something you're eating raw really needs to be quality. Meat and fish are the two things you're supposed to splurge on. Also, sometimes I go to mermaids garden and need to save a buck so I just tell the person working I need something reasonable and they supply me with their best option. I love the natural light in here and honestly, I just feel happier when I step foot into this place. I wish more cute small shops like this existed.

I really really want to like this place more than I do. I've shopped here 3 times. The fish is delicious but super pricey. I wouldn't mind paying more except the other day I got a bag of mussels and half of them were dead when I went home :( I asked the guy at the counter when they had come in but he wouldn't reply.... The mussels that I did cook were super meaty and delicious.... I just wonder if the high price keeps a slower turnover? Yesterday I wanted salmon, but walked out when I saw it was priced at $35/lb.... As a daughter of a clammer.... I JUST WANT TO FIND GOOD FRESH SEAFOOD!

So nice to have a spot in the neighborhood that sells high quality fish! The owners selected my pieces of fish with care and even offer a free lemon / like with your purchase. + The space is gorgeous and has lovely touches of personality. glad you are here mermaid

I've been there about 4 times and twice the fish was excellent, fresh, and delicious. The other two times the attendant either tried to give my wife fish that didn't appear to be fresh at all and another time they gave me a mahi mahi filet that had already turned. I should've known better before agreeing to buy the filet but I didn't. However, the attendant DEFINITELY should have known better. I brought it home to my wife and she threw it out. The other time was when my wife tried to get some white fish for ceviche and the attendant recommended a fish that didn't look fresh at all. My wife had to decline and select another kind. Don't like how they're trying to sell the fish that isn't the freshest. All in all when it's good it's good, when it's bad, pay attention.

Two unrelated people in my life were raving about this place so I decided to give it a try. Needless to say, I was quite impressed. Seafood buying can be fraught with peril. Shrimp is almost always imported from Southeast Asia, and filled with antibiotics and other garbage, farmed salmon is rife with PCBs, unscrupulous dealers dye farmed salmon pink to make it look wild, and then there are all the environmental damage we're doing to the fish and the planet. So Mermaid's Garden -- you walk in, you can feel good about what you're buying. It's fresh, it's sustainable, and it tastes really freaking good. On that note, the rainbow trout. Boy oh boy. So good. Do yourself a favor and pick up a fillet. Throw it on a hot pan and 6 minutes later you have a kick-ass dinner. Easier and faster than cooking a frozen burrito and you can check your New Year's Resolution to eat healthier off the list. I'll be back to this place weekly, I imagine.

Purchased a small cut of sashimi grade tuna. The cut was sinewy and practically inedible raw due to the visible tendons and chewiness. First and last time going there. Fresh fish selection was small and pricey.

This is simply the best seafood shop in New York. The selection is small but everything is excellent. I shop here probably twice a week and feel lucky that it's in my neighborhood.

If Mermaid's prepared Their prepared food is pretty good. The tuna meatballs have a intense lean, almost steak like iron taste and a semi firm texture. They are delicious hot or cold, plain or part of a sandwich or dish. I topped them with some smoked muzz from Caputo's Fine Foods, and it wasn't bad at all, if I say so myself. The smoked octopus, while not really tasting of smoke, is season well enough and not overcooked. The mix of beans (fava?), a little vinegar and herbs make it a well deserved snack or small meal. I also bought a package of Sunburst Trout Farms cold smoked trout - wow! Amazing taste and complex flavors. I asked (before I tasted it at home) if the trout was treated with InstaCure. They assured me it wasn't and it certainly tastes that way. I haven't tasted smoke on fish like this since Peggy's Come, Nova Scotia back in 2005. I would put this up against any of the popular smoked salmon stores in NYC, no hesitation.

The fish is consistently very high quality. And it comes complete with placards about how it was caught and where it's from. They have a small but useful selection of fish-related groceries and prepared foods (some of which are very good). My only complaint -- and it is a substantial one -- is that the prices are SKY HIGH and going up. I know that good fish is probably expensive on their supply side, but high prices extend to prepared foods with little or no fish. I also know this is the best place for fish in the (vast) neighborhood, and I don't mind paying for quality, but the prices are just a little out of touch with reality. Why not charge just a little bit less and do a good bit more business?

I've been meaning to check out Mermaid's Garden and I'm so glad I did. The seafood is super fresh - way better than anywhere else around. The staff was also super knowledgeable and helpful -- which is really important when you're trying to decide what type of fish you will like and how to cook it. The prepared foods and take-out lunch items were also great. I'm got this breadcrumb and shrimp cake with squash and it was fantastic. They also have a great selection of special sauces and gourmet cooking ingredients. And did I mention all their seafood is sustainable?! 5 stars. I will be back.

Prospect heights/crown heights is in desperate need of a good neighborhood fish store. Mermaid's Garden is not it. The people who work there are neither helpful nor friendly. Calling on the phone to ask about the day's catch was met with skepticism and no recommendations. In person, the vendors are condescending to all questions about their products and how to prepare the fish. It's par for the course that a fish store provides free lemons - don't mistake their offerings as generosity. Fish Tales in cobble hill is far superior in quality of fish, variety of fish and service. The vendors at Mermaid's Garden seem to recognize they are the only game in town and treat their customers as such. The only perk they've got going is a more interesting menu of side dishes than most fish stores.

I don't even know where to start. I guess I'll offer the positive comments I can first: the fish is great; and, although it is expensive, I don't mind paying a little more for sustainable and responsibly sourced food. Alas, the business owners are there to take the neighborhood for all it is worth. Hence, I cannot recommend them for anything beyond boycott and would welcome and support any community-minded competitor. There is more than enough room for you, if you are considering opening a fish market around here. Come on over! The duplicitous folk at Mermaid's Garden do not deserve our business; and they certainly do not appreciate it. In two days my husband and I spent about 165$ on raw fish from Mermaid's Garden and received only two thirds of the fish. Truth! When I arrived on Thursday to buy 3 lbs of fish for my gefilte fish and asked if they might grind it for me, they informed me that they had made an executive decision that morning not to grind fish for anyone. Way to ensure your neighborhood clientele has an even more stressful holiday weekend! Fine, not the end of the world, I think, though it's not too much to expect from a real fish market. But when I asked if the man behind the counter might skin one of the two kinds of fish I purchased, he sighed and performed as if he were doing me a huge favor. This is not a full service fish market, in case you were wondering. I'm not sure what it is, perhaps a last resort for people who have failed at everything else. After spending about $62 on ingredients for gefilte fish there, I didn't feel great. But I felt good enough to send my husband back the very next day for fish for our main course as we were hosting a Seder. I asked for snapper or some other easy fish to bake. Before leaving the store, he called to tell me that the woman behind the counter recommended and sold him mackerel. I was not pleased. Apparently she told him we could treat mackerel the same as snapper. I asked him to ask her if he could exchange the mackerel for snapper and just pay the difference even if more expensive, since he was still inside the store. I reminded him to remind the owner, because that is who was there both times we were there, that I had just bought three pounds of fish for gefilte from them yesterday and we were buying another 3lbs today. I figured any decent business person who knows the first thing about fish and cares about the neighborhood would take the opportunity to build trust and would feel badly about selling mackerel to someone who wanted something like snapper. Within 3 minutes or less my husband calls back to say, "The woman in there doesn't want to talk to me. She basically laughed in my face, said the fish loses freshness fast, and there is nothing she can do now that I have paid for it." So, I called and tried to reason with the owner about the situation and our business. At this point, we have spent almost 115$ there in 2 days and my husband is carrying around fish I have no idea how to cook or serve. It wasn't pleasant. The storeowner reacted much like a spoiled college sophomore on the phone, but after I reminded her how much business we represent (always entertaining, never eating meat other than fish) we struck what seemed like a deal. It wasn't a great deal, but enough to keep my business and stop me from writing this review: the owner refused to refund the mackerel, but said she would sell it to us for what she paid and give us the mark up difference toward a new purchase. Unfortunately for her business partners and our whole neighborhood, the owner is deceitful and did not honor even this deal. She is not to be trusted. Instead she took the mackerel that my husband bought for $50 and change and sold him $62 worth of snapper for another 50 bucks and change. Only when my husband returned home did I realize that he paid over 100$ for 3lbs of snapper. This is why Mermaid's Garden does not deserve your business. One thing is for sure, the thieves over there are taking fish to slimy new depths! Mermaid's Garden is a great place to recommend to your worst enemies if passive aggression is your thing, but a place to avoid if you care about the neighborhood.

This place could have been awesome. There aren't any other fish markets in the area and the store itself is so conveniently located. But I won't be going back. First off I went recently when the temp was 90+ degrees and the inside of the store was warm- which really turned me off. A warm fish market on a hot NY day? Weird. And kinda gross. Second the woman at the counter wasn't helpful and came off as really pretentious and condescending. I've recently decided to transition to a pescatarian diet and I had questions- which I didn't even bother to ask. She just seemed completely disinterested and annoyed with the fact that she had a customer to attend to. At that point I just wanted to leave. I was really hoping to like this place, what a shame.

Consistently great selection of high-quality, sustainable seafood. Great prepared foods and grocery items. I would disagree with anyone who says they are aloof or disdainful. The owners are on the quieter/shyer side but they are super helpful with suggestions, recommendations, and recipe ideas. I would also disagree with anyone who says they're overpriced. The food isn't cheap but it's the true cost of good, sustainable seafood. If you're paying less you're not getting the same product. I definitely notice a difference in freshness and flavor. They have a range of options available and are always willing to suggest something at a lower price point (e.g., swapping salmon with arctic char, which tastes very similar to salmon but costs half as much). Highly recommend.

No ahi tuna, and a really confused look from both staffers when we asked the very basic follow-up question of whether they ever carry it, a shocking response from 'New York's first fully sustainable seafood market'.

It's quality fish, but super pricey and yet not necessarily as fresh as you'd like: a lot of this stuff sits around. The fish stand at Saturday farmers market at grand army plaza way better quality and value. Wish we had a real high volume high quality fish counter.

Priced to give over the top fish experience and failing to do so. I tried several times and probably won't come again. Other fish store in he area for the price are more professional or cheaper stores get you fair return for your money.

I've been coming here on a weekly basis for two years, and there's simply nothing comparable. The owners care about the fish they are sourcing in terms of sustainability and quality, and it is almost always unbelievably fresh and delicious. The couple of times I've ventured away and purchased fish at Whole Foods or Union Market (to save two trips), I've been really upset. This is the best around.

This is the best seafood market I've ever been to. The space is immaculate and the staff have an incredible understanding of their product, where it comes from, and what to do with it. The seafood I've bought there has all been amazing and very reasonably priced. My only suggestion is that I hope they improve their signage so it attracts more foot traffic; I'd walked past it many times without realizing what was inside. If you care about truly fresh fish from sustainable sources and live anywhere in the city, it's worth the trip.

This place is great. All types of high quality seafood. I've ordered tuna steaks on a couple occasions and they have been very fresh. Very convenient to have a great fish market in the neighborhood.

This is my neighborhood fish store, and I shop here pretty often. I am always extremely friendly, have pointed out that I share mutual friends with the ownership, and honestly, I get so little love and friendliness from the owners. They also seem completely irritated by the presence of my 4 year old daughter. I am also a small business owner, and I am grateful for every dollar of support that I receive from my loyal neighborhood customers. I have spent easily over $1000 here in the past year on very expensive seafood. I am not saying it's not worth it, and I don't believe these folks are minting money. But a smile recognizing a returning customer or a "nice to see you!" would be appreciated considering I shop here quite often. I think anyone who opens a storefront without warm people skills, should run an online or wholesale business. When I get home with their fish, it just taints the experience of cooking my meal and knowing that my loyalty isn't valued. Honestly, it just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I plan to explore other options for fresh fish, because I just don't feel like these guys like having me there.

I took one of their cooking classes over the weekend, it was a class on how to prepare fish stews. I'm so glad I took it. At first I was hesitant to sign up because I was concerned that the class would be either for a complete beginner, or someone at a more advanced level. Instead, the information presented by the chef Mark was a perfect balance of lots of good information, not too much or too little, while he performed a 90 minute cooking demonstration of 3 different stews. At the end of his cooking presentation, we turned around to find a table set with dishes and silverware so that we could sit and eat what he had just cooked. It was a fun, delicious, and informative way to spend 2 hours on a cold Saturday afternoon. It was definitely worth the price and time. I just wish I lived closer to their store, but that's life.

Simply put, the fish here is fantastic. I picked up trout last week. It was pink and absolutely amazing just fried a little. The octopus and gigante salad was superb. The oysters after I shucked them were brining me right back to summer. I'll be back over and over. Can't wait to eat tonights scallops. They've browned up so nicely.

This place sprouted up while I was out of town for the past few months and I decided to make it a stop on my "walk down Vanderbilt and buy delicious things because it's going to snow again and you're coming down with a cold" jaunt the other day. I picked up the delicious smoked white fish salad and (sweet Jesus) the lobster,squash, coconut soup. Both were delicious, but the soup is spicy and lovely and doing wonderful things for my sore throat and tastebuds. Very happy that we now have a mermaid garden in the neighborhood.

I cant believe I have walked passed here so many times and never stopped in. Very unique selection of fish and seafood. Very happy!