Pacific Fresh Fish

Fantastic as always. 3 dozens of oysters, monk fish, monk fish liver, orata, sea bass, and live sea urchin makes me the happiest gal

found this place on Unilocal,called them and spoke to Steve.
first impression over the phone was not too friendly, but after calling friend of mine to join me I decided to go and at least see how it looks.
there were live shrimps for $ 26 for a pound and live farm raised korean halibut for $ 16 a pound. i loved the way shrimps looked like (see pic below uncooked and cooked), got almost 3 pounds and got whole halibut (5 pounds), sashimi style). we asked them to clean and file the halibut and got some box plenty of ice and drove back home. we loved the sweet taste of shrimps. i will go back to get something else next time.
p. s. CASH ONLY and easy big parking lot

I dont really understand the poor reviews for this place.
What it is: legit seafood wholesale, with rock-​bottom /​competitive prices on almost everything
What it isn’t: bristol farms /​whole foods /​overpriced seafood market/​grill
What you really need to know:
— Oysters can be bought individually, with prices ranging from $ 0.85-$ 1.50 each depending on the variety and supply. Prices are better than most other seafood wholesalers in this area. They run out on special occasions.
— Fish is great here but expect to buy significantly larger portions than at other seafood places. Better for larger parties.
— They have most common shellfish and finfish at very fair prices.
— Parking: they have their own sizeable lot (gated). Remember there will be lots of bums as this is in the heart of skid row.
— Wear shoes that you don’t mind getting wet /​dirty
— Staff is helpful, just be polite and go to them if you have questions. Remember, this is a wholesaler, not whole foods.

For family gatherings or extreme cravings for sushi, we come here to grab fresh sashimi grade salmon and tuna. Yes, it’s a bit of work when you come home, need to debone and cut but it’s so fresh! we usually take a ice box and they will the box up with ice for transport.

I really wanted to like this place. It has a nice variety of seafood, but that’s the only redeeming part of my visit.
Only one or two items actually have prices on them, so you’ve got to ask someone. And this is where the shitstorm begins. When I waited to ask one of the employees (an older Japanese man) about the price of uni, he looked at me in the most condescending way and didn’t say anything. Looked around annoyed as fuck and then finally responded back in what I could only describe as rude.

When I got back in line to make my purchase, there was an girl in front of me who got the exact opposite treatment. He responded with a smile and immediately answered all her questions. Maybe I pissed him off by asking how much the uni was? Or he’s a thirsty creepy old man working at a fish market and I wasn’t his type…
So when I tell him I wanted an uni tray, he looked at me like, «Is that fucking all?» no words or nothing. After some awkward pauses, he fills out the paper, takes my money, and throws it to the cashier in the back. Says nothing to me, so I go «am I suppose to pick it up from the window?»
Cashier was friendly and told me he should have someone dropping it by anytime.
As I look around clueless as to where and when my purchased uni would arrive, a worker comes out of the back to give me my tray of uni. Wish I could have seen it before spending the money. The quality of the uni wasn’t worth $ 41, waking up at 6am, driving to LA, only to have some rude creeper give me attitude. It’s like he’s doing a favor taking my money. I’d rather go to Maruhide Uni club for cheaper, closer, and better uni.

I had experience as other person that one guy tries to overcharge. He quoted $ 1.40 each oyster. There is minimum 5 lbs so this is more for a party, not 4 single people. Also you have to cut, handle the fish yourself. Its self service more for chefs/​people with experience cooking large quantities of fish. Its dark inside, not well lighted like a retail store, even fish market.
In summary, much better to pay local restaurant to do this for you. Worth the time and money. The other staff were not retail friendly.

Wanna eat fresh oysters until you’re sick of em? This is THE place.
(‘Tis the season after all! I’ll eat until Im sick of em and I’ll be good until next year!)
Once we found out about downtown wholesale/​retail fish companies, we shopped around to get the best deals and ate sushi until we’re sick. BUT FOR OYSTERS, I definitely recommend this spot! Yes, it’s near the skid row, but its daytime and people are just people… there’s a private parking lot and security.
(Girls, dont wear shoes and clothes that you dont want to get wet — It’s a fish company — floor is wet and smelly!)
There’s diff kinds — but we got the larger oysters from Fanny Bay — theres about 60 in a box/​$ 45. We only bought a box since they bring it out fresh from the back. (We went to another place which sold them for 1.25 each — way more expensive).
Yes, DO talk to the guy behind the stand — he has his poker face but you just have to talk to him! :) You can ask for a bag of ice to keep your oysters iced.
The oysters are SOOO FRESH — its literally still in sea salt water — guys do have to labor in opening them up but you cant get this anywhere… !!!
Open, Rinse with running water, and Try a few without any condiments or lemon — Sea salt water perfectly seasons it.
Some tips: Just buy one good oyster knife on Amazon (should be sturdy with comfort grip yet thin) or get em cheap at Daiso for $ 1.50 — my hubby figured out how to open them up in few tries. Open and cut the top and bottom things that hold them to the shell (I dont know what they’re called).
It is seafood — rinse the oyster in running water to wash off the the excess shell that may have broken onto the oyster and to make sure there arent any worms — there are occasional worms on the outside shell/​rocks so dont stack your oysters (after peeling them)!

Every year my family puts on a New Year’s day shellfish celebration and with the growing needs of my large family, it became clear that we needed to buy our crab and lobsters wholesale. Costco doesn’t sell live seafood and the Asian markets frequently sell out around the holidays … so it was time to buck up and go downtown.
And go downtown, we did, seriously, downtown … this place is located near skid row and there are bums galore. The warehouse doesn’t look like much from the outside but there’s private parking and a security guard on duty. Once you venture inside you’ll see tanks full of shellfish and tables packed with ice and enormous whole fish. The floor is soaking wet and everyone is wearing long rubber aprons and rubber boots.
To get your food, your options are take a plastic bag and fish it out yourself, or alert the ‘master of ceremonies’ — the guy that stands behind a podium — tell him what you want and he’ll assign a rubber apron guy to help you out. Our rubber apron helpers were very friendly and we got a screaming deal on live lobster and crabs. Bring your cooler!

Fresh fish, and you don’t need a license or to own a restaurant to go! Fresh abalone? Amazing tuna? Spiny lobster? Sea urchin? Yes, thank you. Awesome spot. They do, however, sell bluefin tuna, which I DO NOT approve of. They’re endangered. Send a message and don’t buy them.

I am planning a return trip to PFF, as I need to have another oyster feed.
I really don’t know what kind of attitude some of these Unilocalers go in there with, but again, the guys there couldn’t be nicer. I had bought over a gross of oysters for a party, and through some mishaps with my refrigerator, I was afraid I had killed them all, $ down the drain, and no oysters for my Mardi Gras party. Well, we went back down there early on Saturday morning with a bag of the questionable shellfish, the head guy was really nice, took a look at our oysters, and showed us how to tell if they had been compromised. The good news was, they were just fine, and a happy oyster feed was had by all.
this place is for the pros, and I for one, think it’s great that they allow non industry shop there, they don’t have to, I’m sure.

good selcetion of fish, but thats about it
workers are mostly not helpful, and heavens forbid you ask them a few questions about the types of fish.
The owners/​behind the register are extremely stone-​like and very rude, act like they are doing you a favor buy taking your money.
Not much around here so forced to come here for fish, but if there was anything nearby with even a resemblance of selection, I would never think of coming here.
Helpful people my ASS.
I recommend, if you must, the branzinillo, (did i spell that right) and the frozen yellowtail collars (farm rasied in japan but taste great even though I dont do farm rasied).
The canned oysters are some of the most disgustingly awful items money can by… woooowwww terrible.
P. s. CASH ONLY what a suprise.

The earlier the better as with any good seafood market! I miss their live dungeness crab!!! Snapper is awesome! Chilean sea bass is d best!!!

I would give 5-​stars but one guy, a guy that always wears a cap, annoys me. If he «helps» me, I end up saying, «but the other guy quoted/​always gives it to me for/​this price.» He gets all irritated and throws the sales slip to the cashier window. The other guy (non cap wearing guy) is super friendly, recognizes me when I come in, says hi and makes conversation. Oyster prices are best in town. Helpers are super great. They pack ice for you, help you out to your vehicle and provide foam coolers that are otherwise thrown put. I always tip ‘em.

Adding note… They were nice enough to put the Amaebi in a styrofoam box of sea water. So, at home, I took out all but the largest and healthest one. I save that one for my kids to see… They named it Orange-​stripe-​py and ask me to keep it as a pet… Why did I not see that coming?
First, I must thank Erik S.‘s review of this place, else I would never had known.
Kind of sad today, so took the rest of the morning off. And came here a day early, and wow! I love this place and it cheered me up immediately.
There is something nice about the smell of the ocean, and amazingly I caught a whiff of that here. I felt relieved, like getting close to home.
Anyhow, I was planning to come around 10:30, as this is my first time here and better to learn the custom during off-​peak times at this kind of place.
I meet/​chat with 5 of them, they are all very nice! I am super impressed, I had never been to a commercial/​retail premium fish market with people as nice as this.
Steve and another person at the stand were very helpful in educating me of what to do here. Alex was great in picking out 3 lbs worth of large Amaebi with almost ripe eggs (yummy). Then the guy (forgot name, sorry!) in the sashimi section helped me with a section of bluefin with some toro. (I think a 75−100lb class)
As we couldn’t finish that big a section of tuna, he had to ask the boss. Cool guy! He ask why, I said only 2 adults (i eat alot of fish, but ummm 6 lbs is a little too much) and then he nodded and told him to half it! I love people with temperament like this.
Wow, I totally understand what he is giving up here… The remaining half just dropped in price, especially since they gave me the better half. NOTE: I did not even ask for the better piece, as I am thankful enough that he would half it already.
He just earned a long term retail customer. I think my wallet is going to hate me soon ;)
I don’t really like the area here, as my car is a little out of place… Imagine driving here with kiddy sun screens on both sides of the window… Next time, I will take them off.
For those thinking of coming here, be here before 11:30 on a weekday and make sure it is a workday. Don’t bring your kids and make sure you know your routes… Not a nice area to get lost in.
Almost forgot, they have a wonderful sashimi section, in the back off the side. Even hon hamachi… Very fat ones at that.

helpful people. actually bought fish! Bluefin tuna belly.
amaebi and oysters.
would come again and would recommend.

been here 3x since my last post (less than 2 months) and I must say, the «cashier» is beginning to be more «helpful». I asked him if they sell pacific oyster (since i know they are going to be a lot cheaper than the kumamoto) because they don’t have it displayed on the table. well, ofcourse they do! and the price? 55 cents a piece! BUT, «he» said, if you buy 1 box (5 dozens /​60 pieces) I’ll give it to you 50 cents a piece! just $ 30 for 60 pieces! SOOOLD!!! I bought 2 boxes so far… on 2 separate occasions ofcourse! hehehe…
btw, (some «good to know» info) live dungeness crab = only $ 2 /​lb!
frozen mussels in a half shell = $ 5 /​box
take a look at what other people are buying in bulk to have an idea what products they have (I saw frozen scallops) since they don’t actually have a list.

No razor clams today… but I bought a live, farm raised, red abalone about 4 inches for $ 15.00. Cooked up nicely.

Couple of warnings here:
1. If you are a vegan, please move on to another review.
2. If the idea of eating something that was live just 5mins ago bothers the hell out of you, please move on to another review.
3. If your idea of buying fish comes in 6oz fillet formed (w/​o head + tail) and most likely pre-​vacuum packed, then this place is probably not for you.
4. If you think walking through a warehouse filled with puddles of sea water smelling of the sea that might stain your shoes, then this place is definitely not for you.
Now, to the rest of the brave readers…
We love seafood and we love eating fresh seafood. Actually who doesn’t? The problem is (and has always been) finding fresh seafood to purchase. I don’t deny that Asian grocery markets have live seafood for sale. But over the years of shopping at Shun Fa, 99 Ranch, Hawaii SuperMarket, we have come to realize the quality of seafood is going downhill. You pay $ 6/​lb for some injured and dazed looking live Tilapia. Not to mention squeezing and fighting with grandmas at the fish stand on a weekend morning. It is stressful.
So our next stop was WholeFoods. Ok, buying seafood at WH ain’t going to be cheap but the quality is assured. Pple who complain that fish are fishy smelling aren’t eating fresh fish. Period. WH delivers but with $ 25/​lb for Chilean SeaBass, you have to eat peanut butter for a week. Also, WH doesn’t have tanks of live fish swimming around.
Then we pondered: there has got to be a place where one has to wake up early to get fresh fish ala Tsukiji style. Ok, not on that scale but something similar.
This place is almost it.
We arrived at 7:20am and it was already considered quite late. Pacific Fresh Fish is located in downtown LA. The warehouse is lined with aquariums against the wall and boxes of fresh seafood in the center. Some are pre-​ordered to be delivered to restaurants and other markets. Clams, mussels, oysters, halibut, tuna, shrimps, sushi grade seafood… you name it, they will probably have it. We asked around and apparently there is no minimum to buy. Cash only. Gloves provided.
Wife and I felt like a couple of amateurs trying to find our way through. But we left with a 5lb halibut… alive and kicking. This is the first time we have to prepare a whole halibut but it was quite an experience. We were able to slice up 4 fillets measuring 15×5 x 1inch thick. Sashimi never tasted this sweet and this good.
No picture of the place though a picture of the halibut will be posted…