Wixter Market

I work in a seafood department and bumped into the owner. We were chatting and he mentioned the place so I checked it out.
While I did not buy anything, I spent plenty of time checking out what Wixter has to offer, and feel my review stands.
They have two primary types of items: Frozen seafood and ready to eat items. For the ready to eat items, its all high quality stuff. The jarred Herring’s are really good and, if you can stomach some iron, the canned sardines/​anchovies and what not are also really high quality. The prices on these items are reasonable and worth checking out.
As for the frozen seafood, I’d like to inform people about something they might not realize. Much of the seafood you get in a restaurant is previously frozen, they just don’t tell you. Ever had Chilean Sea Bass? Previously Frozen. Wild caught salmon out of season? Previously frozen. The key to frozen seafood is how it is done and after talking to the owner, they do it right at Wixter. Good selection on the frozen stuff, reasonable prices.
The best deal in this place, however, is the sashimi grade fish. You won’t find this for cheaper at any grocery store, I assure you of that.
One issue I would like to mention is they carry Orange Roughy. While this is a high demand fish, it is not a good option for consumption. I won’t lecture here, just had to mention this con.

A unique addition to the Wicker Park neighborhood! The seafood is delicious and fresh and they sell great sauces and spices too.

Love at first sight! I finally had a chance to check this shop out last night and will absolutely be back all the time. Small retail space on W Division, but packs quite a bit in there! The fish here is all flash frozen or super frozen to maintain freshness and nutrition, and the staff are very knowledgeable about all their products. Being from Boston, I am a 100% seafood snob, and ocean-​less Chicago makes it difficult to get a good deal on anything I’d actually consider eating.
I got a bag of about a dozen plump looking scallops for $ 18, and turns out they’re right from Massachusetts — tastes like home! I also scooped up a few Orange Roughy fillets marked at $ 1, and a couple of barramundi portions. I wasn’t familiar with barramundi, but the man working last evening took several minutes to explain not only the fish we were asking about, but the process and philosophy for all of their products, the environmental impact, and their relationships with the sources.
You can find several varieties of salmon, sushi-​grade tuna and shrimp, lobster tails, clams, mussels, shrimp burgers, lobster bisque, clam chowdah, sorry, «chow-​der», and even some cooking accessories and ingredients like paella rice, grilling planks, maple parchment fish wraps, spice rubs, wasabi, and so on. The range of products isn’t overwhelmingly extensive, but they’re well-​chosen, and offer a different/​complementary angle for fresh fish than other fish markets. I’ll still go to Isaacson & Stein when I want to throw on gloves and manhandle my own fresh trout, and to Wixter Market for superior frozen seafood.
Last, but not least, the bonuses: Free FiveStar rewards program tracked through your phone number = $ 1 per point, 100 points for $ 10 off your next purchase. I spent almost $ 40 last night, so well on my way in just a few visits. Also, there was a box marked «Free Lemons» in the fridge. I don’t know if you’ve been to the grocery store lately, but they are charging 89 cents per lemon nowadays! Heck yes and thumbs up for tossing in the most critical seafood ingredient fo’ free!

This place is perfect for seafood lovers. My boyfriend and I both enjoy seafood, so trying out some of the products from this place was a must for us. I feel like frozen fish sometimes gets a bad rap because some people feel it doesn’t taste as good as refrigerated fish. This place proves any doubts about frozen fish wrong. So far we’ve tried the salmon and the shrimp burgers (I didn’t even know such burger existed before Wixter). After Un thawing the salmon over night, I put a piece of the salmon up to my nose to smell it. The fishy smell you experience with most fish was non existent with this fish. I made a random marinade from lemon, wine and random seasonings in the cabinet for the salmon and it came out well. The employee that was helping us was knowledgeable about the different products in the store and also seemed to be passionate about the quality of the products. This is a great seafood market to check out if you are ever in the area. I am excited to try more of the items in the store in the future.

These guys are great. Bought Scallops for our first trip and they were incredible. Used the prep instructions to ensure I was thawing and cooking properly.
We’ll be frequent customers for sure. Very knowledgeable and I trust that the seafood I’m purchasing is 100% wild, unlike other places.

Wow. I live a few blocks away and only recently walked in to check it out. I ended up buying some sardines, Mahi Mahi fillets and their Caribbean Citrus rub. I’m used to getting by on Costco fish products but they really don’t compare once you cook something from Wixter. They mention «restaurant quality fish» but I would say more like high end restaurant quality fish. Definitely recommend getting this place into your regular shopping rotation!

Outstanding gem in the neighborhood. Priced right for the quality, friendly staff and cooking directions that work. This place will give Dirk’s on Clybourne a run for it. Heading back today for some salmon fillets. Yummy!

Went to Wixter for the first time yesterday and bought the 7 oz salmon filet with skin on. I loved the buckets of single portion filets and that I could choose the shape of the filet I wanted. The salmon was so flakey and the skin crisped up perfectly. The fish wasn’t spongey like frozen usually is. Slightly more expensive than Marianos but totally worth it.

Seafood that *melts in your mouth*! If your in Chicago and looking for seafood checkout Wixter Market on West Division. I suggest tuna, salmon, or lobster tails. You’ll find just about everything here. The staff is super helpful and will tell you how to prepare your fish. I just moved out of Chicago and wish Wixter Market would ship to Naples, FL. Groupon and other fish are fresh down here, but its still hard to find tuna or salmon like at Wixter Market. Highly recommended! I’ll be the first customer once they **start shipping**!

The seafood at Wixter Market may be frozen, but it is SO much fresher than seafood I’ve gotten at the grocery store. The shrimp are amazing and the king crab legs are some of the best I have ever had. I rarely like to eat salmon, but the salmon that my husband gets from Wixter Market is much better quality than salmon I’ve found anywhere else in the city.
One of my favorite things about the store– besides the fish– is how knowledgeable the staff is. They always have really good suggestions if you are looking to try something new, and my husband and I have always been pleased with the recommendations they have given us. Other than that, the shop is cute, friendly, there are swedish fish at the register, bags sets outside when it’s warm– overall just great ambiance. They throw cooking instructions in the bag with your purchase so it makes it really hard to mess up your meal. This place is great and definitely worth checking out!

Excellent Addition to the Neighborhood. I have visited the market multiple times, and have been very happy with all seafood. The standouts are the salmon and king crab. I also ordered some shrimp and sardine platters for a party, and they were a hit with my guests. Overall market is very clean. Staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable.

Chicago has been missing something like Wixter Market! The flash frozen seafood is as fresh as it gets and perfect for cooking at home! I wasn’t a big fan of Salmon in general until I had it at Wixter. The staff is very knowledgeable and will give you great recommendations based on your individual tastes and preferences. I highly recommend you stop by if you’re in the area!

Finally someone has figured out the seafood game!!! The knowledge of seafood that the employees have at Wixter market was very impressive. Not only was the quality of tuna & salmon better than anything I’ve ever had before, they were cheaper than Whole Foods and other local fish houses. I will not be purchasing my seafood from anywhere else in the future. Thanks Wixter market for finally providing a quality place to buy seafood I trust!

If you cook seafood at home or want to start cooking seafood at home, Wixter Market is the place for you. The qualiy and variety of the seafood they carry is unlike anything I’ve seen in Chicago. They also have some great olive oils, seasonings, and sauces to round out your home cooked meals.

Can’t say enough about Wixter Market and the customer experience I’ve been subject to the handful of times I have purchased seafood there. Their frozen and tinned seafood truly is top of the line — but it’s the education process the Wixter Team have established with their customer base that really puts them a cut above the large retail outlets and fish houses across the city. Spend 10 minutes inside their retail store front and you’ll learn as much about the process that goes into getting the fish to your plate as you do about the actual fish itself, which I find fascinating and socially responsible on their part. They also have this super useful ‘Thawing and Cooking Instructions’ guide that will help even the most inexperienced of cooks navigate their way through a home cooked seafood dinner — Genius!
I’ve been eating seafood regularly for quite some time now and have run into the same problems when shopping for it. 1. It’s generally quite expensive 2. Rarely do you get consistent quality over time. 3. The people selling the product often times know very little about what they are selling. These are reasons I feel many people are hesitant to shop retail for seafood and why there are generally negative undertones surrounding retail seafood. Wixter Market helps consumers avoid these three major points of contention when searching for retail fish products. Affordable, Consistent and Knowledgeable!
Matt the owner is as friendly and helpful as they come and their prices are very fair for the quality and quantity of fish that you receive. The emergence of Wixter Market has made retail seafood more simple. 5 stars for Wixter… what a refreshing concept!

Never again shall I be buying seafood anywhere else.
At first, I was skeptical about the quality of frozen fish, but it’s actually a lot fresher than other seafood markets, or gasp, the supermarket. The last time I attempted to get fish at a grocery store, the clerk smelled it first and then threw it away because it wasn’t fresh. I appreciated that, but ever since then, it skeevs me out buying fish anywhere except a reputable fish market.
Wixter Market is different. All of the fish is either «super frozen,» or «flash frozen.» The quality is superior, and the prices are unbelievably reasonable. I got a pound of sea scallops for about $ 18. They were plump, pristine, dry packed, and absolutely the best scallops I’ve ever bought.
The variety is vast, and the provenance of each fish is shown. You can get sashimi-​grade fish, shellfish, as well as tons of gourmet packaged goods like spice blends, squid ink, oils and vinegars, even choice sardines.
They also have a great reward program; sign up and when you hit $ 100, you save $ 10 off your next purchase. And just for signing up, I got a coupon for 15% off. That certainly will encourage me to buy those lobster tails I have my eye on…
They’re really knowledgeable about their products and are happy to answer questions and provide recommendations. Thawing and cooking instructions are included with every order. The hours are really convenient too – open Tuesday through Saturday until 9, and 12 — 6 on Sundays.
If you like seafood, this is a great place to shop!

After I bought some sashimi grade tuna and salmon at Wixter + received a recommendation to make Tuna Poke from the guy behind the counter — my husband told me that we are never going out for sushi again. Now, that might be an exagerration, but the fish was THAT good. I also bought some shrimp burgers that I cannot wait to try — just 6 minutes per side on the grill = fresh and healthy dinner!
Hope this place sticks around, but they at least have 1 repeat customer! Can’t wait to go back and try their other suggestions both in terms of fish and recipies.
All you need to know before coming here is that you would like to have something with seafood for your meal — then they do the rest. Whether its tuna, amazing looking lobster, squid ink or paella seasonings and pans — they have it all!
Enjoy and post pictures of your creations.

This place is awesome! Over the last month I’ve bought mahi-​mahi, salmon, crab, lobster and scallops from Wixter, and they were all outstanding. I think you can definitely tell the difference between these products when they’re «flash-​frozen» (as they are at Wixter) vs. when they’re served at local supermarkets: no fishy smell, better taste, texture, and quality. I would like to also mention that the staff is really helpful in answering your questions and it’s obvious that Matt and Tom really know the ins and outs of seafood products. Oh, and this place carries soy sauce, cedar planks, marinades, and other ancillary cooking items with which to compliment your purchase. All-​in all, a pretty cool shopping experience. Suffice it to say, I will definitely be stopping at Wixter as part of my weekly grocery shopping routine for now on!
P. S. there’s a store right next door with a great selection of wine!

Sushi fish at home! Just overnight in the fridge. I likey! I’m eating raw Kampachi from Hawaii I bought yesterday. Pretty exciting the people there were nice and helpful. I also bought some fish to cook last night for dinner as well.

This is my new favorite place. This frozen fish is fresher than fresh fish available to the consumer, and at lower prices than you’d pay at the high and even moderate ends of fish markets and grocery stores.
If you go in, the guy working there (who I assume is the owner) will educate you about all of their products. I hope people give them the chance to do so instead of turning up their noses at the idea of frozen fish.
I bought Mahi Mahi ($ 7) a small lobster tail ($ 8) a piece of «super-​frozen» (fish that can be thawed to be eaten raw) of salmon ($ 1.10/oz) and loved all of them. The quality was outstanding, and very reasonably priced. I got about 12 pieces of sashimi from the sushi for less than $ 7.
I think my days of slapping on a pair of plastic gloves at Isaacson’s might be over.
They also have a variety of condiments, marinades, spice rubs, frozen fresh wasabi-​great for the sushi!, jarred and canned seafood like you’d find in Spain (I got some octopus in garlic and olive oil that I have not tried yet).
Check it out and remember, frozen doesn’t equal bad.