Vida’s Fish Market

I’m glad they closed they didn’t give u enough food & when u mentioned it they seemed to have a problem with it… I heard when the mom ran it back in the day it was better well I didn’t know about them them. When u trying to have repeat customers no one is saying give all your food away but give a good portion that’s it & that’s all… Other businesses that don’t give good customer service or good amounts of food they don’t get my money either!!! They sucked anyways!!!

Pretty good fried catfish that will put you in a serious food coma. But, it looks like the place is closed. There’s a sign on the door saying «no trespassing».

I love it. I’ve been going since the seventies when it was a fish market and their dad was still living. She has as learned to cook soul food like her mom and dad. My 92 year old mom loves it. It’s always fresh and when you don’t want to cook yourself, its the next best thing. Go by, but call first. The food is cooked to ordet.

Nice mom and pop fish and BBQ spot. Best to call in order to avoid the wait. Not the best parking but the food is good and the prices are fair. So if you are in the area I suggest you check them out.

First time trying out this place and i have to say I’m a little disappointed. Considering this is a stable business Im unsure why you would use square as a way to accept credit cards, not a good idea, Especially when the cellphone you’re using keeps ringing and disrupts the whole transaction. Not to mention the long wait time to receive your food. Oh and the guy using cleaning supplies and cleaning the kitchen while food is cooking. Unfortunately this is not a place I would recommend. Oh well, lunch time blunders that will never happen again.
PS. I was done writing this review before i received my food that I ordered 25 mins ago.
PPS. 40 mins after placing my order I was informed they did not have the food to prep my order!!! Done!

It sucks, not better way to put it. I was wondering why anyone would need 6 pieces of fish for lunch. Now I see Why. The position size, small, food was NOT hot more like room temp, reheated fish, the interior in so old looks like you breath in dust. I’m over this place NEVER AGAIN

I was on the hunt for some tasty fried catfish and I stumbled across Vida’s. Glad I decided to make the stop — this place is awesome. This is probably the best fried catfish I’ve had in the Bay (besides moms). I’ve also had the snapper — which is «ok» but the catfish is a hit! Seasoning is perfect and the fish is nice and crispy. I was also surprised by how great the side dishes are. My favs are the Mac&Cheese, sweet potatoes and greens… the french fries are also thick and crispy.
My one and only complaint is that it takes at least 20 minutes to prepare your order! Best bet is to call in advance so you don’t have to wait!

Call before you come. or you will be waiting for hell@ long… im jus saying… still good after all these years.

Get the red snapper… you’re welcome

Do get:
Hushpuppies! Hint of sweetness and jalepeno spice!
Ribs. Generous lunch portions and bbq sauce is smoky sweet!
Potato Salad was above average as well.
Fried fish was good, but had several pieces of fillet of sole that came out mushy.
Don’t get:
Brisket. Reheated and dry thinly sliced pieces of meat.
Friendly service. Call your order in before you come or you might have to wait a little.

Everyone should try this spot. good home cooking.

Not worth the stop!!!
I went in on a Sunday and they were out of practically out of everything I tried to order. No chicken, no snapper, no macaroni salad; so I ordered Sole and after taking my order the two women working there were on the phone while they prepared my food.
Needless to say when my food got to me and I got home to eat it, it was overcooked and dry. This use to be a really good place to come for home style cooking, but not anymore. It ain’t worth the money! You can do better at home. The restaurant was empty and messy, with cups all over the place and children running around all over the place.
I was so disappointed and I won’t be going back!!! Save your money!!!

Eh… could be worse, could be better.
First off Everett & Jones are no longer selling bbq out of this establishment (not sure what happened there, but I have my guesses), but they still sell bbq if that’s what you want.
Now on to the fish…“oh wait before you put in your order, let me check and see what we have” is what she said. Great. she comes back and tells me that out of about 12 choices of fish only 5 were available… and they were out of chicken. WTH!!!
Anyways…we settled on order of sole and an hot link lunch special.
Was surprised that they even offered to sell the lunch portion at dinner time!
The sides were fries (good) mac & cheese (nope) greens (had better) hush puppies (good). The fish was seasoned good and fried just right, crispy like I like it. The hotlinks… well it wasn’t E&J’s sooooo, eat the bbq at your own risk, I’m just saying.
I doubt that I’ll be back anytime soon, there are plenty of places in Oakland that I can go to for fish and bbq. I’ll keep it on my list, but not in the Top3.

A lot of times when eating lunch in Oakland, the name of the eatery is «Best so-&-so» or King of so-&-so…
But when you’re the real deal, it’s like a classy lady, if you have to tell people you are… you aren’t.
So that classy lady/​eatery I’m referring to is Vida’s Fish Market. No need to name this place «Best Fish Market» or «King of Fried Fish», the food speaks for itself.
At Vida’s they fry many types of fish, oysters, shrimp, and scallops. Everything is fried to perfection. Along with a little hot sauce to bring out the flavor, Vida’s makes really great fried seafood.
My favorite is ordering Fried Catfish & Oyster combo with fries and Candy Yams. Soda comes along with all the meals. And if you want something sweet, they also make bite size sweet potato pies if you want a little dessert or snack with your meal.
When picking up my order today I also found out (in my Billy Paul voice), Vida’s and Everett Jones ‘has a thing goin on”. Apparently starting about 3 days ago, I’ll be able to order ribs, brisket, and all Everett & Jones BBQ with my fried seafood. Soon I won’t be walking, but I’ll be rolling my chunky butt out of Vida’s.
So Vida’s doesn’t need to tell me to come eat there cause it has the best food. I come to Vida’s because it’s Vida’s. Because when I eat there I know I’m gonna get some good food for my soul.

THE SERVICE: I would give six stars if I could!!!
The hospitality Miss Vida and her daughter dished out made me feel like I was in my mom’s kitchen being treated to my favorite foods on my birthday!
THE FOOD: The food is cooked with LOVE!
I grew upon the gulf coast and frequently brought home the booty from fishing trips home to mom to fry up «southern style.» In my home town we could drive five miles and buy fresh seafood caught that day. So, I know when seafood is «done right» and I swear that the fried shrimp, fish and oysters are perfectly seasoned and cooked at Vida’s.
The hushpuppies are yummy, not bland or greasy like so many other places — order a side of them! Order a large if you aren’t alone cuz they are so good they’ll make you greedy!
Once I ordered the crab feast and they brought me a ridiculous amount of food that could have fed 2 people.
THE PLACE: Not fancy, but very clean and not fishy smelling at all. Bathrooms look and smell clean too!

When I first moved to oakland I thought this place was out of business
, so when they moved to their location I just had to try it. I am so glad I did everything they do, is done right! If you are looking good food on a budget this is the place for you!

BE SURE TO ORDER OVER THE PHONE!!! or your in for a wait!!! i went on a hotter day and it was extra hot inside! the Poorboy shrimp sandwich was delicious, but the fried fish was OK, they are super nice!!!

My husband JT said it best: «Yesterday a buddy of mine suggested I check out Vida’s Fish Market on the corner of 14^th Ave. E.18^th St. What a treat. I stopped and got a fish dinner and looked at the quanity and figured it was to much for one sitting and I’ll save some for later. Later never happened. I just kept eating the fish and finished it off with some delicious cole slaw. Later the evening I treated my wife and son to catfish & shrimp combo dinner. As you well know you can’t fool a five-​year old about food. My son tore that fish up. He even asked this morning was there any left so he could have some for breakfast. I hope you get a chance to check it out and get your taste buds tickled.»

Great small fried fish spot that I can always depend on for tasty fish. Sadly Emmas closed down, but I have a new favorite now. The order may be a little slow but the food is worth it. Even if calling ahead prepare to wait a little. That aside, great service and food. Glad they finally re-​opened! Los palmas and other spots just aren’t the same. Usually order te Snapper, Bone-​In Cat, and hush puppies. Every Friday lock clockwork!

OMG! My friend, Jackie, took me here one night after a day of errands. She and I have similar tastes in food, so she thought she was fairly safe in introducing me to Miss Vida and her wonderful daughter Tina, the operators of this hidden gem, and their delicious fish. How right she was!
First off — know that you aren’t going there for fancy ambiance. The place is clean, and has been recently painted, but like many great southern (soul?) food places, its charm is less in the décor, more in the food and the friendly service!
Anyway — the food — I’ve only had the catfish — but I can tell you it was cooked to perfection — not overcooked like so many places do. The catfish fillets are plump, not the skinny pieces you see at other places (probably why they are overcooked at those other places!). The breading is cornmeal all the way — just the way my dad would fry catfish we would catch back in the Midwest!
Their Cole slaw is the sweet kind, made with raisins — delicious! Their fries are the big steak fries, and I think they cut the potatoes themselves (I’ll check on that next time I’m in and update). They also offer onion rings and hush puppies. The last time I ordered, I asked for my fries to be crisp — over the phone, Tina cheerfully repeatedly back to me «Order of fries — crispy» — AND THEY WERE CRISPY! The order come with pickles, pepperoncini, lemons, ketchup and hot sauce.
DESSERT — OK, you have to be aware: they sell out of their homemade pies. Does that tell you anything? I got their Pecan Pie — OMG — it was like heaven itself! So rich, so smooth, so buttery … so delicious! And the crust — it was crisp, perfectly so!
And, when you come to pick up your lovingly prepared dinner, you’ll get to see Miss Vida, her beautiful daughter Tina, and their smiling faces. This is one of the few places where you really get the idea feeling that they actually enjoy what they are doing — feeding hungry people a family recipe, sharing old-​fashioned hospitality!
Between the food, the prices, and the friendly service — you can’t lose! The only drawback, is they are only open Wed –Sat. But, since it is only Miss Vida and Tina, I’m glad they take the time to take care of themselves and their family, because that means we (OK, I) can continue to enjoy their delicious food well into the future!