I was lucky enough to have a pre-valentines day date here last night, and it was the perfect spot. The ambiance in the restaurant is great, not too loud- not too crowded. When we arrived our table was reserved near the door, but the hostess happily accommodated us so we wouldn't be bothered by a draft from the front door opening (since its been terribly cold in Pittsburgh lately). Our server, Angel, couldn't have been more pleasant. She was friendly and when we asked what sushi rolls she would recommend she offered up a few suggestions. All were delicious and didn't disappoint. We were especially happy about the "special" which was a heart shaped roll that included strawberries. It sounded interesting and I'm glad she encouraged us to try it- SO good. Definitely check this place out :)
(5)
Maddie A.
My roommate and I decided to get sushi here since it was very close to our apartment and we'd heard good things. The place was very empty when we got there, which was good, since as a result we had great service. The sushi was quick, fresh, and tasty. We got the Spicy California, which was our favorite of the night, the Sunshine, and the Flower roll. All three were good but very basic. We will probably return for sushi another time.
(5)
Cruise D.
My experience with Penn Avenue Fish Company started off pretty great. My team and I are here on a work assignment in the area. I found this place on Google yesterday, so we all agreed to check it out. The decor was really cute, and even though it was a small restaurant and crowded, we got prompt and attentive service. The waitress brought our food out quickly and it was delicious! We all loved what we had and agreed to come back the next day. Today was a different story. One coworker ordered the black cod chowder, which he really enjoyed. Three of us ordered the salad. One had grilled shrimp, my boss had salmon, and I had the swordfish since she was raving about how great it was the day before. The grilled shrimp salad came out first. After waiting fifteen minutes after that, we tried to get the waitress' attention to find out why the food was taking so long, but she kept flying past us delivering food to people who had come in after us. My boss finally got her attention while she was walking past us. My boss started to ask her about our food, but she rudely cut her off and said, "not yet", and kept walking. No explanation, no assurance, no apology, just "not yet." We saw another staff member dealing with a problem order, so my boss went to ask her what was happening with our food. She told her that different food takes different amounts of time. (Thanks for the tidbit, Captain Obvious.) My boss explained that we had ordered a salad with fish and that it shouldn't take this long. She went back to check and told us that our food was in the window and it was coming out now. We basically waited over 30 minutes for our salads after the other salad had come out and we had ordered them together. The waitress brought our food, still with no apology for the wait. Our coworkers had long since finished their food and were waiting for us. I had two bites of my salad, which tasted really good. Then I took a bite of my fish. It wasn't really hot for something that just came out and the salmon and my swordfish were burnt on the bottom. I explained to the other staff member about the fish. I told her that I didn't want another one since it took so long in the first place, and wanted my money back. She went to get the manager who turned out to be the rude server who we had already had issues with. I told her that the fish was burnt. She said that it wasn't burnt and that all of their fish is fried all the way through or something to that affect. I think I know the difference between well done and burnt, but whatever. This isn't my first time out of the house. She asked me if I wanted them to fix up another fish and I said no. She said that she would put it in as a priority and I said no. I wanted my money back. It took too long and we needed to get back to work. She came over, put the money on the table and left. We barely saw her. No one apologized. The waitress / manager and the other staff member were rude and condescending. It was clear that customer service was a foreign concept for both women. It would have been okay had there been better communication. It was busy, they are understaffed with there only being one waitress who happens to also be the manager. Mistakes happen and I get it, but to avoid us at first, cut us off when asking a valid question, and then not apologize for what happened says a lot. I would not go back there and I wouldn't recommend it to any one else. It is unfortunate, because the food was awesome yesterday. This place makes my the no-no list. Signed, Cruise Director
(1)
Elizabeth B.
I was skeptical.... My co-worker and I had walked by Penn Avenue Fish Company a couple times, and each time she raved about how amazing the food is. Finally, on a recent Friday, we ventured here together. The exterior looks mediocre, and when we walked inside, only a few people were dining. However, she warned me that after noon - as it was around 11:45am at the time - the lines would be insane. And they were! I ordered the Blackened Tilapia sandwich. A-Maz-Ing. I always think of fish sandwiches as being a little odd and gross, but this sandwich squashed any and all of my preconceived notions of McDonald's-type Filet-O-Fish. I will definitely be back for lunch (before noon!) and also want to bring my husband here at some point. It's definitely the sort of dining experience that's good enough to share with others!
(4)
Laurie S.
I am particular about what I eat and I travel frequently which adds a layer of stress when it comes to eating well. I was more than pleasantly surprised when I had dinner at the Penn Avenue Fish company two nights ago. I had a lovely waitress who really went the extra mile to help describe the entrees and make sure I got what I wanted and not order too much food. She genuinely wanted me to be happy and was successful. Next and even more important was the food itself which was outstanding. I had the triple tail special, it was perfectly prepared and delicious. The fish was mild tasting, moist and flaky with a crisp crust. It was fresh as could be, delicately seasoned and served over seasonal vegetables that were cooked perfectly. I did not have sushi or dessert so I can not comment on either, but I thought about my meal several times since then and wish this restaurant was in my home town.
(5)
Laura C.
We come here a lot. Not anymore. The manager/server/resident 'I don't care' girl....horrible. Literally horrible service. This place is being run into the ground. Owners should really take notice and make a change. You don't want a smart, rude employee, especially in this capacity. Food came out wrong, some wasn't even brought out until 15 minutes after everything else. Tried to give us free dessert, no thanks. Literally told us she didn't care when we complained about her service and our orders being wrong. Then....she put a gratuity on our check-this is no longer a legal practice. Hasn't been for months. It's a shame because the food is excellent. The way we were treated was inexcusable. If I could give zero stars I would. Owners will be getting a phone call.
(1)
Jing H.
I went dinner there and was completely fooled by those review and pictures. I ordered a large plate of sea bass but the serve was so small and taste really salty. Basically, I filled myself with the ice water there.
(1)
Tian Y.
Friends and I ate sushi here. I was sick of Pittsburgh's meh quality fish but still really craved sushi. You have to pay such a premium at Penn Ave Fish Company, but you definitely get what you pay for. We didn't make reservations but were accommodated at the high to bar area. While I didn't mind our seats (it was much better lit than the rest of the restaurant) and I love an open kitchen, it was a bit awkward when orders weren't coming in and the kitchen staff stood around and played on their phones. Some open kitchens are amazing, but this one seemed awkward and to intrude onto our dining experience. The sushi was enjoyable. I went for some rolls because sashimi and nigiri were a whopping $6/pc - I'd go broke before I can eat a full meal... But I loved the fish used in the rolls, and the creativity of the rolls - yes spicy mayo was used and all, but the fish wasn't buried and the flavors complemented the fish well. The appetizers, I don't know... I had a chilled avocado soup here the other day, and hollllllly crap there was so much lime in there I thought I was drinking lime juice. The texture was smooth and light and amazing, but DAMN if that isn't some false advertisement, calling it "avocado" soup. Our calamari appetizer was also only alright. It looked amazing, but I feel like the flavors didn't meld too well. The service was really spotty... we had to wait forever to order, she was in a hurry all the time, handed us the check but took forever to come back for it. Friendly woman but always seemed rushed - maybe they were understaffed, you'd think they would be expecting diners on a Friday night. 4 stars for the sushi only. The rest of the aspects sort of take away from the overall experience, but personally I'd be willing to put up with it originally if I'm desperate enough for sushi with decent quality fish in it in the Pittsburgh area. Excited for these fish tacos I keep hearing about though...
Came here again with a friend who wanted sushi for lunch. I'm still sticking with my two-star rating this time, but for different reasons. Service was good and quick. I got a soup this time, corn and crab chowder. After my last experience with suspiciously unfresh sashimi, I decided to go with something fully cooked. It wasn't anything special, just chowder. Walking into the restaurant today, I was hit with a strong smell of seafood that's gone bad. It smelled fishy, but not in that good first-catch-of-the-day at the docks kind of way. I used the restroom after we were done eating and there were huge gnats all over the wall. I get that it's summer, and humid weather and raw fish don't mix well in small spaces, but I'd expect the restaurant to be extra diligent about cleaning given the type of restaurant it is. 9/4/2013 UPDATE: I haven't been to the original restaurant located on Penn Ave yet, so I can't speak for the quality there. I can only hope that it's better.
(2)
Rachel C.
It pains me to give my all time favorite sushi joint a 4 star review. Why, you ask, would I give it my fav restaurant a 4 star? Because service is just so horrible compared to the incredibly friendly and attentive staff at the actual Penn Ave location. Is the sushi still the best in the city, heck yeah! Do I salivate at the thought of their Pretty Girl Roll (salmon, avocado, spicy sauce and wasabi caviar in a soy wrap) and Spicy Yellowtail? Heck yeah! But then every time I head into this location the service is always the same. Hurried and unfriendly. Tonight was no different. Our server was definitely not into us, or stopping at our table much and got our bill wrong 3 times. I have never actually been to this location for dinner. I know I should have tried an actual dinner item, but I REALLY just wanted some sushi! I did, however, order the Butternut Squash Soup. It was INCREDIBLE...creamy and rich! This sorta made up for the crappy service (but not really). Oh, and it's BYOB, awesome! I'm not swayed, I will be back....I just wish they'd be more friendly to make the experience better, since the food is phenomenal. Here's hoping....
(4)
Adam L.
The best sushi I've had in all of pittsburgh. We started with the tuna tacos Which were a great appetizer and hint of what's to come. Both of us enjoyed sushi, 2rolls a piece and both of mine were specialty rolls. Extremely fresh and creative favors. My favorite item was the Rock N Roll, just fantastic. We will be back and the price was more than fair. Only improvement would be their liquor license is still in the works, BYOB.
(5)
Jordan C.
Wowwwwwww. It's currently 8:30. We got here at 7:30. Still no sushi. It makes me a little uneasy that sushi would take that long. Waitress was decent but the wait killed it. Although we are new to the area, I know one place going on the never again list.
(1)
Todd B.
Excellent place. Large family group. They sat us downstairs. Private and a lot of character. Great service, responsive and spot on with recommendations. Edamame was so good we ordered seconds. Excellent beer wine and sake selections. We ordered a ton of sushi and passed it around family style. A few classics, shrimp tempura rolls and spicy señorita rolls. All amazing. Deserts were excellent as well. Smores bars. Loved em.
(4)
Lauren B.
I debated over how many stars to give this place and I know part of the reason for my low rating is that the location in the Strip is my absolute favorite sushi restaurant in Pittsburgh and I was so terribly disappointed here. This location is in an odd area in the middle of a bunch of construction so it's really hard to get to and the street is dark and hard to see. I guess this will improve when the construction is finished. Some reviews on here said they are BYOB but it seems they serve beer, wine and sake now. This place seems to be a fancier version of the one in the strip, but they don't quite make it work. It has more of a dining room feel, with darker lights and a bit fancier looking, but it still has some fisherman type decor, and it's of course not a fish market like the other location so it doesn't have any of that. The kitchen and sushi bar are very prominently located in the small dining room, though it appeared they had more dining tables downstairs. A shelf of napkins, forks, and some old pieces of ripped up cardboard and various other random things hanging out (see my pictures) was oddly smack in middle of the restaurant directly across from our table, in between the two bar areas, which seemed quite odd and extremely casual for the look this restaurant seemed to be going for (and he prices!). So when we arrive it was around 5:15pm and we were going for an early dinner since we had tickets to the Nutcracker at 7pm. The hostess greets us not very friendly like and asks if we have a reservation. Note that the restaurant is completely empty except for 1 table of 2 people. We say we don't, since we didn't expect there to be many people here this early. She tries to seat us at a high table right by the door and it's cold outside so I ask for one of the booth tables farther in the back. She said we can't have one of those since we didn't make a reservation (really?! your restaurant is totally empty and we just want a quick dinner before our show!). She does let us sit at another table in the back, but it turns out that's right next to a busy walkway right by the stair and the staff were constantly going in and out of that area carrying things so it was not such a great seat. When we did finally leave just over an hour later only one other of those tables had been filled! My main issue was the quality of the service, which was horrible! Besides the rude hostess, when we were seated our server didn't even greet us and just filled our water and left again. She didn't return for about 15 minutes, only then when I finally waved her over. Most of this time she was chatting with other staff at the restaurant and completely ignoring us. When I finally caught her gaze and waved her over I said we are ready to order drinks. She responded "I see that" in a really rude tone like she was annoyed with me for getting her attention. Since we didn't know if it would be 15 min before we see her again I also ordered an appetizer. As she was about to leave my friend then asked for the specials and she was like "oh I thought you might want to take your time!" Who doesn't read the specials first thing? Then we explained we had a show in an hour and she became slightly more attentive then, but she just seemed flippant and unfriendly about it. The worst part was that all of the servers, the hostess, and even some of the kitchen staff would all congregate behind this screen by the hostess desk and chit chat really loudly and obnoxiously all through our dinner, even when tables were clearly in need of service. Our table was positioned so we could see them behind the screen all looking at their computers, iphones, laptops etc. sharing pictures and videos. At one point they played a video so loudly they were all watching together that we could hear it clearly from 20 ft away, then they all started talking and laughing about it loudly, meanwhile everyone in the restaurant is ignored. This is so unprofessional! The food I ordered was great (the sushi special and the tuna gougeres app) and I would have probably rated this a 4 for the food alone, but it wasn't as amazing as the fresh fish I had in the strip. The tuna gougeres consisted of tuna tartare inside these little puff pastries which were really interesting and the sushi special included a special roll, seaweed salad and 2 pieces of nigiri for about $26. I'm really concerned about some of the other reviews on here that seem to have been served fish that was starting to spoil. That didn't happen to me, but it also wasn't quite as fresh as the other location. The prices were also quite high for some of the portion sizes, especially my friend's order of the taco appetizer, which consisted of 2 of the tinies tacos I have ever seen. I paid about twice as much here as I normally do at the other location for the same amount of food and it is better quality in the strip! I'll be sticking to the strip location from now on!
(2)
Keith M.
I had the Chilean sea bass tacos for lunch! They were fantastic. They were the taco del dia, and served with corn/tomato/cilantro and a sour cream. Fresh, Friendly, and Fast. Triple F is A-OK in my book! When I start straying from my diet too far, I remember PAFC and am never disappointed!
(5)
Christy C.
The Strip District location is one of my office's go-to spots for lunch, and it is SO good. Some of the best sushi in town! My usual lunch order consists of the spicy tuna roll and a bowl of their clam chowder. Unfortunately, they don't always offer the clam chowder in their rotation of hot soups, and that tends to be a disappointment. Their other soups are good, but nothing compared to the clam chowder! The aforementioned spicy tuna roll is my favorite in the city -- prepared with asparagus for a yummy crunch. I visited the downtown location for dinner and ordered the spicy salmon roll and the Mike roll, both of which were excellent. I was surprised that I was able to finish both rolls, but they were that good! We also ordered the crab dip as an appetizer and I would definitely recommend trying it! It is served hot and with sliced crostinis that are lightly toasted. Only con about that particular meal was the slow service, and they weren't even busy. The couple that I went with called ahead to ask about a corkage fee since the restaurant bills themselves as BYOB and found out that it's $15 PER ITEM. Something to keep in mind if you wanted to booze it up with a couple bottles at dinner. I would recommend staying away from the Lollipop roll if you're super hungry. My boyfriend ordered it and it was a mere 5 pieces... for $13. It's served without rice so it is a bit heavier on the fish portion than a traditional roll, but if you're hungry and want to try it out, make sure to order yourself something to accompany it.
(4)
Chip R.
This place has an interesting layout: long and narrow with a chalk board menu on the wall, tables on the sides, a bar at the end and a register in the middle. I walked in and, as this being my first time here, wasn't quite sure what to do. I went to the register and asked if I should wait to be seated and the young lady at the register station told me that she would take my order and I could simply pay for it there. I told her that I'd like to try the Energy Lunch with a peach iced tea and she asked how I'd like for my salmon to be done. She then gave me a number and told me that I could seat myself and that my meal would be severed shortly. Soooo that's how it works. It only took about 5 minutes to be served and while I was waiting I observed what others had on their plates. It all looked yummy and the portions looked generous. I was thinking that I may have found a new "go to" spot for lunch. When my Energy Lunch arrived I looked at it almost expecting another dish to accompany it. The description on the menu read: "Grilled salmon, spicy ginger carrot salad, green bean salad and apple cider vinaigrette" The serving of salmon was puny placed on top of about four slices of carrot and maybe six green beans. Its presentation was beautiful, the Salmon was cooked to perfection and it was truly delicious, but it looked more like an appetizer than a lunch. I was almost tempted to stop and get a slice of pizza when I left. The menu stated that the Energy Lunch cost $10:99 and my total bill excluding tip came to $15.50. Does an iced tea really cost close to $4:00? I'd like to come back here again and try something more substantial than the Energy Lunch sometime soon. But as for now, I can't justify giving this place more than 2 stars. The portion served simply doesn't equate to the dollar value charged.
(2)
Keith H.
Great spot for a quick lunch in Pittsburgh! I got there right when they opened and the staff was very friendly and actually looked like they enjoyed working with each other! On to the food. At dinner time the prices are very high, but at lunch they are extremely reasonable for fresh fish. I had a terrayaki tuna sandwich which had really good tuna and a great, balanced flavor on the sandwich. It came with a nice side salad and was under $10 which is great for center city! The only reason I did not give this a 5 was the bread to fish ratio. It was a long piece of tuna on a round roll. So there was a lot of the bread that hung over and I just had to rip off. I would recommend to the business to get better rolls to match the cut of the fish. I highly recommend Penn Avenue Fish company for lunch! An inexpensive, fresh alternative to the fast food options around town!
(4)
Tara B.
What a great sushi place- that also served the best risotto I have ever had. We were a hungry table of 11. My family and I got there 30 minutes early and they were very nice and accommodating. We sat the bar and as soon as our table was ready, they sat us. Our server gave me several types of wine to taste and thanks to her, I found a great glass of wine. She did an excellent job of managing our table. The food itself was great. Excellent fun rolls. And great sake. So glad we found this place. It was excellent.
(4)
Nathan W.
I originally wanted to try the location on the strip, but it was closed so we came here. I had calamari, three different kinds of sushi, seaweed salad, and my friend had the halibut. I tried some of the halibut, and it was to die for. It was cooked to perfection - perfect and interesting combination of flavors, and served on a bed of different veggies like white asparagus and brussles sprouts with a cream/mayo/vinegary type of sauce on the plate I believe. The sushi I had: spicy salmon rolls, wasn't really impressed by them, the specialty rolls is where it was at. Which leads me to the Rocking Roll, and the Green Dragon. Perfect. They were great, and I've been spoiled by sushi in Japan, so that's saying something. And I almost forgot, the calamari. It was definitely the most interesting calamari I've had. It was not fried. It comes in a bowl in a spicy tomato sauce, and served with lightly toasted but squishy bread with some kind of buttery/garlic sauce. which I have not seen before. It was different. I would have probably preferred fried calamari, but I would definitely eat this again. It would taste really great on a bed of pasta!
(5)
Ian B.
Lovely little fish spot. We were staying in the Renaissance and wanted to get fish, but didn't want to deal with anything fancy or pretentious. We came here via Yelp and were immediately sat at the bar. The menu is fairly impressive in scope; dishes range from Japanese to Mediterranean. I had a really lovely calamari dish served in red sauce, olives, and really delicious (homemade) garlic bread. The sushi was also solid. It was a great dinner, great atmosphere, and worth your tie.
(5)
Traci T.
I really don't understand how I am just discovering this place, but boy am I glad that it's now part of my repertoire. Some co-workers invited me to have lunch with them and I jumped at the opportunity because I love seafood and I'm always game to try something new. For the most part I think the combination of fish and cheese is weird, so I was happy that they accommodated the substitutions I made to the tuna sandwich I ordered. I thought the tuna was fresh and perfectly grilled. I went back a week later to have two maki rolls: the tuna and unagi. Both were good and tuna was very fresh. The service is pretty fast. Hope I get to make it to their other location in the Strip. Am definitely a fan.
(4)
Linda C.
I love sushi and this is great sushi at a reasonable price! Might be my favorite place to get sushi regularly in Pittsburgh. They have a lot of great speciality rolls. The pretty girl roll is one of my favorites but I try to get something different each time I go. I definitely recommend going!
(5)
FT P.
Great fresh seafood at a reasonable price. However, service leaves much to be desired. The food always takes forever to arrive and we had to ask for water multiple times. Last visit there was Valentine's Day - couple next to me ordered the risotto special, among other things. When they got their check, they were overcharged for the risotto. Staff explained that they recently changed prices, however when the 2nd check arrived, it still was not fixed. Staff not really apologetic, and customer was annoyed that they could get away with this. Their reasoning was - well customers should really check their bill. I recall this happened the previous time we went there too. My tip for this place, get sushi, pass on main courses, and check your bill! We will probably avoid this place and just go to strip district (which unfortunately does not take reservations).
(3)
David T.
Nice. Really REALLY nice. Took a work colleague to this somewhat out of the way restaurant and was pleasantly surprised at the reception, service, and food offering. Food was first class. Service was excellent (Angel - our waitress, was all of that and more). Food selection was top. Presentation perfect. She was attentive without being the least bit in the way. If I lived in Pittsburg, it would be a favorite haunt. Go there, check it out. Your hard-earned money is well spent.
(4)
Jim P.
Extremely long wait for expensive, mediocre sushi. Cramped, and just not worth the price. Just FYI, I had a totally different experience in the Strip District shop. Go there instead.
(2)
Eileen D.
This place was super cute and delicious -- ask to sit downstairs if you're looking for more quiet and intimate. Upstairs was pretty loud by comparison. Docking one star because dinner is quite pricey, unless you're specifically looking for sushi. I sought this place out partially because of the $$ Yelp had given it -- which is true for lunch. But for dinner entrees, you're looking at $28+. That being said, my parents split the sea bass and they did an amazing job plating split portions, which were both extremely generous. The sushi is solid as well and my parents RAVED about the salad. I'd skip the tacos, they were tiny and hard shell which made them difficult to eat.
(4)
Ted S.
If I lived in Pittsburgh I would come here so often that they'd have to get a restraining order. I really like this spot. All of their food seems delicious. Today my friend grabbed the crab cake sandwich and rice. The sandwich was served on a fresh brioche bun that looked amazing. Good sized crab cake and slaw. The rice pilaf and chick peas was a nice change from French fries. The sushi menu is diverse and I can see coming back daily for new experiences. Today was the shrimp tempura roll which was great! I also ordered a cup of the mushroom and salmon soup. I don't even like mushrooms, but this was such a tasty soup! The service was quick and friendly. This location is pretty limited on seating so I can see it being an issue during peak times. They were out of several things today which was disappointing, but you can't fault a place that's selling out.
(5)
Mandy B.
I can only write a review about the California rolls, since that is all I tried. The menu says that they are to contain caviar. We ordered for pick up and got home to see that the California rolls did not have caviar. It was disappointing. The rolls were okay. No better than any other place in Pittsburgh.
(3)
Brenda W.
Not yet living here but visiting to search out a new abode, husband and I were staying in a nice hotel downtown and now were in search of a "date night" venue, a quiet venue with a bit of ambiance (but not over the top) and subdued lighting to have some wine and a scrumptious meal. Well, this restaurant totally fit the bill to a tee. It's a small, quaint place (translated: not many tables). Our hostess was very pleasant and accommodating as we turned down a table near the door for the opportunity for another more intimate one with only a little bit of a wait. While waiting, we sat at the bar and perused the menu full of sushi roll options and a limited but worthy entree list. Once seated, we opted for a bottle of wine (and, as with all restaurants, the markup is significant) and ordered two of the entrees -- chilean see bass and snapper. They were both superb both in presentation and flavor. The lighting was low, the service was attentive, the food fresh and appealing. Pricey, but worth it. I'll have to do sushi another time.
(5)
Jared D.
A great lunch spot in downtown Pittsburgh, with a full menu of wonderful fish sandwiches. The combinations might sound a little weird at first, but just go with it. They work. I haven't had a bad meal there yet. I personally enjoy the California tuna, which is topped with avocado, jalapeños and delicious barbecue sauce. The side dishes are also perfect. Most recently, it was a rice-based dish with chick peas.
(4)
Justin D.
I love this place. I prefer the location in the Strip, but was happy to see they had opened something downtown, which I caught completely by chance as I was walking around looking for lunch. I got my old standby, the spicy tuna sandwich (formerly the Navajo) and it was just as delicious as ever. I can't comment on the sushi since I have never had it, but if looks mean anything, it certainly LOOKS excellent.
(4)
Kevin F.
First time here...probably won't go back. This part of downtown is a little seedy. Lots of street people just hanging out in the neighborhood. Major construction on a high-rise just across the street. I arrived at restaurant about 130 in the afternoon. The lunch crowd was just starting to clear out. The fact that there were so many people there would seem to indicate that overall I think the food is probably good. However my energy lunch,as they call it, was less than satisfactory. I should have returned it but I was pressed for time and very hungry. It was grilled salmon with a bean salad. The salad was very good. But the salmon was grilled to the point that it was very black on one side and partly black on the other. This gave it a distinctive charcoal taste. Not good at all. Plus the customer behind me walked out when he was told his favorite dish was out of stock. Due to the location and my particular dish which was terrible, I will probably not be going back. I know this is unfair judging it on just one experience but again how can you mess up on a nice cut of fish like that? Having a Wesley Snipes movie playing on the TV at the back of the restaurant with body parts and blood flying was also an interesting touch!
(2)
Nancy A.
Being born in California, I am spoiled with good sushi so I had high expectations for this place. The sushi here is okay. The fish was not as fresh as what you would get in California. Another complaint I had with the sushi was that the fish felt warm. That seemed a bit odd to me. I do like that their soy paper is in different colors. One was yellow and the other was pink. We tried a couple of rolls and a crab melt. I think the best thing we had was the crab melt. Great flavor and the bread was good. Overall, it was a good experience but nothing to rave about.
(3)
Jeremia F.
Now I know that you guys all love this place so I had to check it out. Don't tell Frank over at my usual Sushi joint. I thought the sushi was indeed very good but I really didn't see or have any rolls that were out of this world unique or special. I thought that the service was pretty good and I love BYOB so I had a great beverage. The things that kept this well below a four star for me was that I thought the ambiance was just slightly too dark for me and the lights behind me were way too bright that it appeared the person I was talking to was interrogating me because the lights were so bright behind them. The deal breaker happened at the store and after the visit when I called the store to discuss their refusal to accept our Living Social coupon. I typically don't purchase these coupons but I know how to read the fine print. It was a simple $10 for $20 deal that I bought over a year ago or longer. The $20 value expires but the paid value ($10) doesn't expire for 5 years! so mine doesn't expire until April 2016, but yet the server refused the coupon which I just let it slide and contacted the store the following Monday to discuss with the manager but they never called me back. I called them two more subsequent times and each time spoke with the store manager Shanon who said they would speak with the owner Angela. After 3 weeks since their refusal to honor the coupon in store, I have still not received a callback either stating why they won't accept it or ifthey will.So they are not honoring their part of the deal, sort of irritating one reason I don't by too many deals from the internet. An excerpt from livingsocial.com/terms#d… Expiration Dates The Promotional Portion of the Voucher will always expire on the date printed on the Voucher. If the Merchant is in a state where it is permissible for the Paid Portion to expire, the Paid Portion of the Voucher will expire five (5) years from the date that the Voucher was issued. In some states, the law may require the Merchant to honor the Paid Portion of the Voucher beyond five years, in which case the Paid Portion of the Voucher will expire in accordance with the applicable law. I also e-mail livingsocial.com and confirmed that the coupons paid value was still valid. I know it's only ten bucks but come on, its half of $20. So Susan finally called me back and made me feel like I was the one in the wrong, I am a informed consumer and know how to read the fine print. Thanks for saying you would honor the coupon because those are the terms of the deal.
(2)
Heather H.
Had lunch from here a few times and always after their rush when it's a little quieter. I like the environment and for downtown food it's extremely good at a reasonable price. I highly recommend the fish tacos, though I wish they came with rice in place of the cabbage-y stuff. Their chowder is also to die for. I've also heard raves about the sushi, but I've recently given up sushi and most fish so I can't personally attest to its quality. Service is okay, not too extraordinary, which is why I only gave 4 stars. The people are not rude or mean, but they're not very interested either and I've requested and not received water with my food at least twice.
(4)
Paul M.
Not for a speedy lenten friday lunch...looong wait: to order and then get the food. Though, don't get me wrong, the sushi is good. Just come prepared to wait. Even on a normal lunch hour, I imagine it to be a pretty lengthy wait due to limited seating.
(3)
Tom G.
Delicious! Some of the best sushi I have had in Pittsburgh. The fish was all very fresh and if your not in a sushi mood, they have great sandwiches too. I would recommend either location to anyone in the Pittsburgh area that likes fish.
(5)
Kelly T.
I work in mid-town Manhattan, a wasteland of lunch opportunities. Oh, unless you want to spend $25 (on a tuna nicoise and glass of wine but I'm not telling where because I don't want my co-workers to find out). I'm also on a no-meating-eat kick, which UGH. So I'm happy to report that I had a yummy delish healthy lunch in the PGH. Tuna sandwich with avocado (skimpy on the avo), cheddar and fresh jalapenos. Ok. Not healthy but not a burger. Prices are average to high for the PGH, but on the low end for NYCeaters. It's a long narrow place where you stick your butt in other diners faces to get to your table. You take your number and you sit and they bring your food. If you're a juror, you get a free soup with your sammy. They could use a few more salad options. "Sweet mustard dressing" did not appeal At. All.
(4)
Kailani K.
Words cannot express how much I love this place!! I am obsessed with sushi and was sad when we moved to Pittsburgh, because I thought I would have to give it up. Then we discovered this delightful restaurant. Their rolls are fresh and creative and I crave them daily! Hands down the best sushi in Pittsburgh!
(5)
Sally O.
Amazing restaurant!!! Lunch, dinner, sushi, soup, sandwiches, and main fish dishes. I'm in Pittsburgh on a long term work assignment and am not sure I would survive without this restaurant. Fresh, healthy meals are hard to come by when only eating out-- and Penn Avenue Fish Company is my favorite. Ask them for their specials-- unbelievable fresh catches. I used to say I only liked white light not-fishy fish's to eat... I find myself experimenting and loving it here!!
(5)
Meghan S.
So unlike my fellow yelpers, I did not actually go to Penn Ave Fish (on Forbes) for a regular lunch or dinner. Last night, they hosted a sushi-making class with complimentary wine and sake. I was more than impressed. The staff who put on the class were attentive, friendly, and personable. The two men who taught us how to roll were fantastic - helping with hints and tricks for getting a good sushi roll. The event included 3 rolls - a California roll, a traditional roll (choice of crab or tuna), and this super-delicious MEGA roll with shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, crab, avacado, and asparagus. Each person made their own rolls and then got to enjoy them with the "free" wine and sake.... all for $50! I thought that was a pretty darn good deal. I'm excited to go back for lunch (and thanks, Yelp, for the heads up... I'll make sure it's a day I have plenty of time!).
(5)
Amanda M.
I've been here for lunch twice. I actually tried to go a couple times before that but both times we walked in (a little after noon), this little place was packed and there was nowhere to sit so we ended up walking to Market Square both times to eat. However, once we figured out that we need to get here well before noon so there are some free tables, I was very impressed with the food. The first time I went I got the swordfish sandwich and the last time I got the Nigiri Lunch sushi platter. Both times, the food was very fresh and had excellent flavors. My co-workers were likewise impressed with everything they ordered. There is a pretty extensive seafood menu, especially for how little this place is, and based on my experience, if you're looking for good, inexpensive seafood downtown, this is an excellent option. I would just suggest that if you're going for lunch on a weekday, get there by 11:45.
(5)
Nicholas B.
This is a lunch-only review. One thing and one thing only makes this a five-star review for me: The sushi is hands-down the best I've ever had. The crazy tuna roll has a bit of crisp, a bit of spice, and a huge amount of flavor. The pink lady roll is the most beautiful sushi I've ever seen. The soups here and the sandwiches are excellent, and simple. My first meal here was a tomato-basil soup with Chilean sea bass (wow-good!) and a grilled tuna sandwich with jalapeno. I was impressed by both (and the taste-portion array of unique house sides). I really liked that I was eating healthy, too - the ciabatta roll was the only downer on the plate, and it was well-portioned and paired well with the grilled fish. The downsides are numerous - it's quite pricey ($17 for soup/sandwich, no drink); it's often too crowded for comfort, the service is highly lacking, the menu is a bit overwhelming on the wall - however, this place keeps me going back and spending more than I can afford because I crave the delicious fish they serve!
(5)
Shari P.
Came here for dinner. I didn't know they take reservations, but we had no problem being seated. Food is amazing as usual.
(5)
Maria O.
Well, a lack of quality fish is not the problem here. The problem seems to be the overly fancified menu & the long, long waits it causes. They could seriously pare the menu down a good 15 items and you'd still have plenty to choose from. That being said, the food was okay. I had a lump crabcake melt. The crab was mighty tasty but the cibatta roll was dense and tasteless. Also, tiny side scoops of coleslaw and rice/garbonzo bean salads were very sour. Thankfully, I had a small bowl of mushroom brie soup which was delicious... but of course tiny & a bit overpriced. Originally I had wanted some sushi but was told there would be a 40 minute wait, this was at 11:45 am. It's a gorgeous place & the staff seemed friendly enough but I have no idea what was going on in that kitchen. 2 people making sushi and 4 people bustling around a convection oven & a bunch of sauces and garnishes. Bummer indeed for this fish-lover.
(2)
Tim K.
I see a lot of sushi reviews but you have to try their salads and sandwiches. The Sneaky Pete is outstanding (Salmon with some sort of spicy avacado sauce and the best cibatta I've ever had...from MediTerra I believe). Portions are perfect for lunch (no 3:00 crash!), P.A.F.C salad with tuna, salmon or scallops. Must try for the downtown lunch crowd. Seating is a challenge. If you go with a friend have one order and one get a seat. There is a downstairs that I wish they would utilize for lunch. As much as I love this place I walk out about 20% of the time due to the seating.
(4)
Barb H.
This place gets better with each visit. They now know who I am and give great service and exceptional sushi and sashimi..... They really want their customers to be happy with their food and service.
(4)
Mickey O.
Overpriced and overrated. Terrible vibe. There are many other options downtown, consider those first.
(1)
Melissa U.
This place is really a toss up. On the positive side, the sandwiches are fabulous. I have had the open face tuna and its to die for. However I would say that the sushi is so so. The specialty rolls are on point, but the basic rolls taste like generic Giant Eagle sushi. I would recommend trying the pretty girl roll... Delicious! My biggest complaints are the size of the restaurant and the waiting times. If you are ordering to go, it is so crammed that there js nowhere to stand comfortably while you wait 25+ minutes for your food. If you are dining in, you are basically fighting against a room full of people to pounce on a table when it becomes available. The tables are also very close together and there are many 10 of them tops. Seems silly for such a populated hot spot. Overall the food quality makes it worth the occasion visit and battling of the seating/wait.
(3)
Lucretiz C.
Not better then Sushi and Rolls located in Oxford Center. We opted to go after the lunch rush and entered the restaurant at 2:30pm and had our orderers placed almost immediately. I was hoping for more of an experience. Such as having the menu reviewed with us or hearing about any fresh catches but none were forth coming. As other have stated in their review the service was brisk and a little cold. When we walked in the tables were littered with dirty dishes and remained that way for a while. The sushi tasted very yummy I had a sushi special and my boyfriend had an eel.
(3)
Kimberly R.
Tried this place with some friends who raved about it. I agree, really good sushi! Everything was fresh and the prices were not too steep. Best of all: it is BYOB! They do have some main dishes, if you are not a sushi fan. This place is busy so make a reservation!
(5)
Keenan G.
This place went above and beyond my expectations when I first came here. As a Boston resident attending college in Pittsburgh, I expected any good grade sushi to be overpriced. I was very surprised to see all the specialty rolls between $7 and $13, especially considering how delicious and fresh they are. That price beats nearly all of the excellent Boston sushi I've had. I have been back several times and even converted some of my friends to sushi after taking them here. My boyfriend says this place has the best calamari he's ever had. I'm not a big fan of squid, but I enjoyed the octopus in ponzo sauce here. I recommend the spicy senorita roll and the green dragon roll. I give my 5 star rating only to the sushi menu. The dinner entrees here are delicious, but the portion sizes are incredibly small. Compounded with the $30 price tag, I would give the dinner entrees 4 stars.
(5)
Jessica D.
Lunch only review. Awesome sushi. Probably, no definitely the best sushi downtown. I can't even think of another place that comes anywhere close. If you know of one, please comment and let me know. I need my raw fish in the middle of the day!!! What is also awesome about them is that they do cooked fish pretty darn good as well. I am a huge fan of the Sneaky Pete - Grilled salmon on whole grain ciabatta with fresh arugula, hearts of palm and spicy avocado crme sauce. I think that the spicy sauce has sirachi in it, which of course means it is delectable. The PAFC salad is also delicious. - I always get the scallops. No one has scallops like the Penn Ave Fish Co. They come from a different ocean - they are that good. It would be a 5 star review if they had more seating and shaved a bit off their prices.
(4)
Jason D.
My wife and I dined here for lunch. It was super busy inside, so this was definitely a popular place. I ordered the spicy swordfish sandwich. I can normally handle some spice. This had several whole habernero peppers on it. This completely overpowered the sandwich and my taste buds. I took them off after one bite but the damage was already done. My wife had a mahi sandwich and loved it. Overall I'm sure my experience would have been much different had I tried something less spicy, but this kind of left me with a sour taste.
(3)
Lauren C.
Why do I always fail to remember that this is a BYOB restaurant until I'm standing outside of it?! Argh, good thing you can go to the bar next door and buy a bottle of wine or get a beverage to go! Plus if the restaurant is crowded (which it always is), you can go next door for a drink and they'll come get you when your table is ready. I'm not a huge sushi fan but that's all I ever order here. I've never gone with a hot menu item, always the sushi rolls. They are just so fresh and delicious. I've done the flower roll, the ronnie roll, the yummy roll, the spicy senorita, etc. You just can't go wrong although I favor the spicy rolls. My favorite is the hot pepper roll (cream cheese, salmon and banana peppers). Yum!! I recommend going with a group so you can order a wide variety of sushi and share. My biggest gripe about the restaurant is just the small size. There are possibly 10 tables and some bar seating so you should definitely make a reservation and bring your own wine! It's also a little pricey. I've had good service both times I've been there and they do a nice job of making recommendations and explaining the various sushi rolls to you. I've also ordered the cheesecake for dessert. It's good. Not the best I've ever had but being a cheesecake connoisseur, I'm pretty picky.
(4)
Patrick R.
Tried this place last weekend on the advice of Rachel C. That lady knows her sushi - the fish was top quality and they had some interesting rolls and combinations. The crazy tuna and flower roll were the real standouts of the evening. Plus it's BYO... always a bonus. I was glad we had a reservation for dinner; the place was packed and we would have been waiting a while with our group of 6 had we not called ahead.
We came with a large group of friends for a birthday dinner. We started with a sushi plate, which was great, and then I ordered the sea bass and my boyfriend ordered the black cod. The black cod was very good, but there was something about the sea bass that I just couldn't get past - it tasted like perm solution, but I couldn't figure out why. I passed the dish to my boyfriend, who immediately said it tasted like ammonia. When we asked the waitress, she said another diner had the same comment on the dish, and that we just must not like the miso glaze on the fish. Unfortunately, it wasn't until after we left and in talking with others / looking online that we realized the ammonia taste is a product of fish that isn't fresh. Really? We come to a seafood restaurant, order a $40 dish, and can't expect fresh fish. Needless to say, we won't be back, as we've had much better experiences at other area seafood restaurants.
(2)
Rita D.
I was so happy when I found out that they have fish company at Downtown. The food is not as fresh as the one in the stripe. I like the one in stripe better even they have the same menu.
(3)
Dave K.
This place has a pretty cool vibe and the food was good as well. I could go up to five starts if I eat here a few more times. Nice work!
(4)
Maher H.
I came here with some coworkers for a Friday lunch. It was pretty busy but we got seats quickly. The space is a little narrow and gets crowded easily but the decor is nicely done. Move near to the cashier first to grab a menu so you can look over it before ordering. This one of those places where you place an order, they give you a number and then you sit down to wait for the food to be brought out to you. I had the fried cod sandwich, which was really nicely done. The breading was light, not too thick or overbearing and didn't overpower the taste of the fish. They also serve sushi and rolls, which were pretty good. My colleagues had the fish tacos and seared tilapia, both of which they liked. Overall, I enjoyed this restaurant. It's moderately priced ($10-$20ish) and I'd come back again.
(4)
David T.
Penn Ave Seafood Co's second location in downtown Pittsburgh. They are open for lunch and dinner (serving dinner WED - FRI starting November 10). The menu seems to be virtually the same as the original location in the strip. You can see the menu at their website, but basically it consists of all sorts of different sushi rolls and platters. They also have 10 or so $9-12 sandwiches and 6-8 other items (Tacos, pizza) that vary with the season from what I can tell. Honestly, the food is extremely tasty. The sandwiches are always cooked to order and the sauces and aiolis are always quite tasty. The cole slaw and salads that come on the side are also well conceived (I had a couscous apple chickpea salad with mine). The ciabatta breads are very tasty but soft enough to be manageable in a sandwich form. The only critique I have at the moment is that the layout is rather awkward. It is sometimes hard to tell if they are even open walking by, and it is hard to see the menu board while waiting in line. I hope to return soon and split a sushi platter with friends. BYOB
(4)
Sal W.
This is a new location. The quality of the food was pretty good, but it was expensive and the portions are small. I had a crab melt sandwich, for $12, NOT including any drinks or soup. I felt the price should have been closer to six. They also offer sushi here. Unfortunately they do not offer the $18 Wednesday all-you-can-eat deal at this location. :( Hey, the downtown needs sushi love too!! Too bad, because they would have created another regular customer. Anyway, this isn't exactly a service place, but you order and they bring the food to you. The server was friendly. Credit cards including Discover accepted here. One downside is the table setup. It is a narrow path to the cashier and the tables line the corridor. Being it a Friday, it was swamped. You will have a lot of people standing near, staring at, breathing on and talking near your food. Food Quality/Taste = 4 Stars Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars Relative Price = 2 Stars Service = N/A Experience with Staff = 4 Stars Decor = 3 Stars Clean (yes/no) = yes
(3)
Gigi L.
Went there with a friend for lunch and it was a long wait. We tried to avoid rush hour and got there around11:30. We were the first few customers, but we still had to wait 15minutes for a sushi roll. I ordered a special sushi roll for about $9 expecting it to be like other house special sushi rolls which are often bigger and better than regular rolls. But it came out to be 5 piece roll and not that special.
(3)
Chad S.
Wow the hostess had to be the ruddiest person I have ever encountered in Pittsburgh. The Sushi is great but the horrible hostess will make you want take home sushi from the Giant Eagle. We arrived on time at 7:30PM for our reservation, asked if we could sit at one of 2 open tables that sat 4 and were told "no you have to sit at the bar" which across from the stove and they have very poor A/C. The heat of the gas burning cooktop made it like you feel like you were in the kitchen, oh well I guess we were in the kitchen. Those 2 open tables became 3 open tables for four but we were not allowed to move. Then "super hostess" Megan turned away another party of 3 saying "sorry we are booked." Maybe she could get a job at the DMV. She would be prefect there.
(1)
Bartley W.
Sort of a cafe style sushi spot, great for lunch. Order and Pay before sitting down. They give you a order number and bring out your food pretty quick. Salmon Nigiri $4.00 (2 Pieces of Salmon on small rectangles of rice) was very good. Spicy Tuna Roll was definitely acceptable, and a cup of the Soup Du Jour, (that's the "Soup of the Day") was just right. Their drink selection is a bit...lacking. Bottled and Canned beverages. Will certainly be returning, but found the price to be a bit high at $15.00 for lunch.
(4)
Paul S.
The only reason I'm deducting a point is because I wish it was bigger... Often you can't get in during lunch, but that's only because their food is awesome. By far the best sushi in town and their specials are really good.
(4)
Jess B.
Just an update on parking. The city took away the pay til' 10 pm parking enforcement. Its back to 6:00 thank goodness. I heard on NPR that the city is freezing this 10pm parking enforcement only until January 1st though. The City Council will be revisiting the times again after that.
(4)
Kay K.
WE LOVE THIS RESTAURANT! We recently moved here from Atlanta and this is the only restaurant that we found to be consistent! We keep going back every week....... Great Food, Great Service, Great Atmosphere. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!
(5)
Andrew S.
Cool location, small place, somewhat pricey, but good food. Would not eat here all the time due to cost but recommended due to the fresh fish.
(4)
Lisa R.
I visited this place for dinner during a recent trip back to Pittsburgh for homecoming weekend. Honestly, coming from coastal California, I didn't expect such fresh fish in a land-locked city but I was floored. I am not a huge sushi fan, but the group I was with ordered sushi and I couldn't get enough. I especially liked the Benny roll. We also shared a few appetizers and entrees, and to me the spicy calamari and the grouper were amazing. The crab cakes were full of crab meat (not breading or fillers) and not overly seasoned like in most restaurants. In fact everything we ordered tasted fresh and delicious, and was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The service was impeccable and we were a large, boisterous (and probably annoyingly loud) party. Highly recommend.
(5)
Amy H.
I was soo happy with my visit here! We made reservations for a Friday night (as the site recommended) and even though it wasn't crowded when we first arrived, it was a good thing that we called ahead. The ambiance of the restaurant is simple yet chic. The decor is really nice, but the entire place has a casual feel to it. Our waitress was super sweet and speedy (even though she had a burnt hand - poor thing) but she was on top of it. BYOB... and, the sushi. The sushi was the best I've had in a while. The Spicy Senorita Roll, OMG. Cilantro? YES! On sushi, cilantro rules. And Sriracha as well... delicious. We also had the Boston Roll, Green Fuji and Bella-something roll (shrimp tempura). They were all delicious. I don't eat any meat or fish often, but the quality of freshness here was superb. The whole experience was A+. I'm sad I haven't found out about this place sooner!
(5)
Justin S.
Best downtown secret. Very fairly priced, (seems) healthy lunch spot. I go with the Energy lunch (salmon), but the sandwiches are very good too!
(5)
Cab M.
We arrived at 6PM just as they opened. We sat near the front at a 2 person table. Each table is set with wine glasses and our BYOB was opened immediately upon settling in. This is a very narrow building and I could see how it may get a bit tight with a full crowd. For appetizers we shared the Yellow Tail Sashimi and Flower Roll. Even though I know Yellow Tail Tuna is expensive I was moderately surprised it only included 3 small pieces. The quality was excellent however. We both ordered Halibut for our entree' and were glad we did. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned simply so that the flavor of the fish came through. We made reservations for a mid-week dinner prior to a show at the Benedum. I was surprised they didn't open until 6PM but still figured we should have enough time to comfortably make a 7:30 PM show. We did.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Liz W.
I was lucky enough to have a pre-valentines day date here last night, and it was the perfect spot. The ambiance in the restaurant is great, not too loud- not too crowded. When we arrived our table was reserved near the door, but the hostess happily accommodated us so we wouldn't be bothered by a draft from the front door opening (since its been terribly cold in Pittsburgh lately). Our server, Angel, couldn't have been more pleasant. She was friendly and when we asked what sushi rolls she would recommend she offered up a few suggestions. All were delicious and didn't disappoint. We were especially happy about the "special" which was a heart shaped roll that included strawberries. It sounded interesting and I'm glad she encouraged us to try it- SO good. Definitely check this place out :)
(5)Maddie A.
My roommate and I decided to get sushi here since it was very close to our apartment and we'd heard good things. The place was very empty when we got there, which was good, since as a result we had great service. The sushi was quick, fresh, and tasty. We got the Spicy California, which was our favorite of the night, the Sunshine, and the Flower roll. All three were good but very basic. We will probably return for sushi another time.
(5)Cruise D.
My experience with Penn Avenue Fish Company started off pretty great. My team and I are here on a work assignment in the area. I found this place on Google yesterday, so we all agreed to check it out. The decor was really cute, and even though it was a small restaurant and crowded, we got prompt and attentive service. The waitress brought our food out quickly and it was delicious! We all loved what we had and agreed to come back the next day. Today was a different story. One coworker ordered the black cod chowder, which he really enjoyed. Three of us ordered the salad. One had grilled shrimp, my boss had salmon, and I had the swordfish since she was raving about how great it was the day before. The grilled shrimp salad came out first. After waiting fifteen minutes after that, we tried to get the waitress' attention to find out why the food was taking so long, but she kept flying past us delivering food to people who had come in after us. My boss finally got her attention while she was walking past us. My boss started to ask her about our food, but she rudely cut her off and said, "not yet", and kept walking. No explanation, no assurance, no apology, just "not yet." We saw another staff member dealing with a problem order, so my boss went to ask her what was happening with our food. She told her that different food takes different amounts of time. (Thanks for the tidbit, Captain Obvious.) My boss explained that we had ordered a salad with fish and that it shouldn't take this long. She went back to check and told us that our food was in the window and it was coming out now. We basically waited over 30 minutes for our salads after the other salad had come out and we had ordered them together. The waitress brought our food, still with no apology for the wait. Our coworkers had long since finished their food and were waiting for us. I had two bites of my salad, which tasted really good. Then I took a bite of my fish. It wasn't really hot for something that just came out and the salmon and my swordfish were burnt on the bottom. I explained to the other staff member about the fish. I told her that I didn't want another one since it took so long in the first place, and wanted my money back. She went to get the manager who turned out to be the rude server who we had already had issues with. I told her that the fish was burnt. She said that it wasn't burnt and that all of their fish is fried all the way through or something to that affect. I think I know the difference between well done and burnt, but whatever. This isn't my first time out of the house. She asked me if I wanted them to fix up another fish and I said no. She said that she would put it in as a priority and I said no. I wanted my money back. It took too long and we needed to get back to work. She came over, put the money on the table and left. We barely saw her. No one apologized. The waitress / manager and the other staff member were rude and condescending. It was clear that customer service was a foreign concept for both women. It would have been okay had there been better communication. It was busy, they are understaffed with there only being one waitress who happens to also be the manager. Mistakes happen and I get it, but to avoid us at first, cut us off when asking a valid question, and then not apologize for what happened says a lot. I would not go back there and I wouldn't recommend it to any one else. It is unfortunate, because the food was awesome yesterday. This place makes my the no-no list. Signed, Cruise Director
(1)Elizabeth B.
I was skeptical.... My co-worker and I had walked by Penn Avenue Fish Company a couple times, and each time she raved about how amazing the food is. Finally, on a recent Friday, we ventured here together. The exterior looks mediocre, and when we walked inside, only a few people were dining. However, she warned me that after noon - as it was around 11:45am at the time - the lines would be insane. And they were! I ordered the Blackened Tilapia sandwich. A-Maz-Ing. I always think of fish sandwiches as being a little odd and gross, but this sandwich squashed any and all of my preconceived notions of McDonald's-type Filet-O-Fish. I will definitely be back for lunch (before noon!) and also want to bring my husband here at some point. It's definitely the sort of dining experience that's good enough to share with others!
(4)Laurie S.
I am particular about what I eat and I travel frequently which adds a layer of stress when it comes to eating well. I was more than pleasantly surprised when I had dinner at the Penn Avenue Fish company two nights ago. I had a lovely waitress who really went the extra mile to help describe the entrees and make sure I got what I wanted and not order too much food. She genuinely wanted me to be happy and was successful. Next and even more important was the food itself which was outstanding. I had the triple tail special, it was perfectly prepared and delicious. The fish was mild tasting, moist and flaky with a crisp crust. It was fresh as could be, delicately seasoned and served over seasonal vegetables that were cooked perfectly. I did not have sushi or dessert so I can not comment on either, but I thought about my meal several times since then and wish this restaurant was in my home town.
(5)Laura C.
We come here a lot. Not anymore. The manager/server/resident 'I don't care' girl....horrible. Literally horrible service. This place is being run into the ground. Owners should really take notice and make a change. You don't want a smart, rude employee, especially in this capacity. Food came out wrong, some wasn't even brought out until 15 minutes after everything else. Tried to give us free dessert, no thanks. Literally told us she didn't care when we complained about her service and our orders being wrong. Then....she put a gratuity on our check-this is no longer a legal practice. Hasn't been for months. It's a shame because the food is excellent. The way we were treated was inexcusable. If I could give zero stars I would. Owners will be getting a phone call.
(1)Jing H.
I went dinner there and was completely fooled by those review and pictures. I ordered a large plate of sea bass but the serve was so small and taste really salty. Basically, I filled myself with the ice water there.
(1)Tian Y.
Friends and I ate sushi here. I was sick of Pittsburgh's meh quality fish but still really craved sushi. You have to pay such a premium at Penn Ave Fish Company, but you definitely get what you pay for. We didn't make reservations but were accommodated at the high to bar area. While I didn't mind our seats (it was much better lit than the rest of the restaurant) and I love an open kitchen, it was a bit awkward when orders weren't coming in and the kitchen staff stood around and played on their phones. Some open kitchens are amazing, but this one seemed awkward and to intrude onto our dining experience. The sushi was enjoyable. I went for some rolls because sashimi and nigiri were a whopping $6/pc - I'd go broke before I can eat a full meal... But I loved the fish used in the rolls, and the creativity of the rolls - yes spicy mayo was used and all, but the fish wasn't buried and the flavors complemented the fish well. The appetizers, I don't know... I had a chilled avocado soup here the other day, and hollllllly crap there was so much lime in there I thought I was drinking lime juice. The texture was smooth and light and amazing, but DAMN if that isn't some false advertisement, calling it "avocado" soup. Our calamari appetizer was also only alright. It looked amazing, but I feel like the flavors didn't meld too well. The service was really spotty... we had to wait forever to order, she was in a hurry all the time, handed us the check but took forever to come back for it. Friendly woman but always seemed rushed - maybe they were understaffed, you'd think they would be expecting diners on a Friday night. 4 stars for the sushi only. The rest of the aspects sort of take away from the overall experience, but personally I'd be willing to put up with it originally if I'm desperate enough for sushi with decent quality fish in it in the Pittsburgh area. Excited for these fish tacos I keep hearing about though...
(4)Quinn Z.
My fiancé and I had dinner at the downtown location last night and it was absolutely fantastic! We like to sit at the counter and watch the chef prepare dinners. It's fun and helps us decide on what we will have for the evening. For being such a small place they have a really nice selection of sake and beer. Our server was very nice and knowledgeable and she helped us pick we picked out a bottle of sake to go with our sushi ( the spicy señorita roll is so good but so hot!) For our entrees we decided on the scallops and sea bass. Both were delicious and done perfectly. We didn't save room for dessert, but I have heard that their cheesecake is to die for. We will be back soon to find out!
(5)Jane S.
Came here again with a friend who wanted sushi for lunch. I'm still sticking with my two-star rating this time, but for different reasons. Service was good and quick. I got a soup this time, corn and crab chowder. After my last experience with suspiciously unfresh sashimi, I decided to go with something fully cooked. It wasn't anything special, just chowder. Walking into the restaurant today, I was hit with a strong smell of seafood that's gone bad. It smelled fishy, but not in that good first-catch-of-the-day at the docks kind of way. I used the restroom after we were done eating and there were huge gnats all over the wall. I get that it's summer, and humid weather and raw fish don't mix well in small spaces, but I'd expect the restaurant to be extra diligent about cleaning given the type of restaurant it is. 9/4/2013 UPDATE: I haven't been to the original restaurant located on Penn Ave yet, so I can't speak for the quality there. I can only hope that it's better.
(2)Rachel C.
It pains me to give my all time favorite sushi joint a 4 star review. Why, you ask, would I give it my fav restaurant a 4 star? Because service is just so horrible compared to the incredibly friendly and attentive staff at the actual Penn Ave location. Is the sushi still the best in the city, heck yeah! Do I salivate at the thought of their Pretty Girl Roll (salmon, avocado, spicy sauce and wasabi caviar in a soy wrap) and Spicy Yellowtail? Heck yeah! But then every time I head into this location the service is always the same. Hurried and unfriendly. Tonight was no different. Our server was definitely not into us, or stopping at our table much and got our bill wrong 3 times. I have never actually been to this location for dinner. I know I should have tried an actual dinner item, but I REALLY just wanted some sushi! I did, however, order the Butternut Squash Soup. It was INCREDIBLE...creamy and rich! This sorta made up for the crappy service (but not really). Oh, and it's BYOB, awesome! I'm not swayed, I will be back....I just wish they'd be more friendly to make the experience better, since the food is phenomenal. Here's hoping....
(4)Adam L.
The best sushi I've had in all of pittsburgh. We started with the tuna tacos Which were a great appetizer and hint of what's to come. Both of us enjoyed sushi, 2rolls a piece and both of mine were specialty rolls. Extremely fresh and creative favors. My favorite item was the Rock N Roll, just fantastic. We will be back and the price was more than fair. Only improvement would be their liquor license is still in the works, BYOB.
(5)Jordan C.
Wowwwwwww. It's currently 8:30. We got here at 7:30. Still no sushi. It makes me a little uneasy that sushi would take that long. Waitress was decent but the wait killed it. Although we are new to the area, I know one place going on the never again list.
(1)Todd B.
Excellent place. Large family group. They sat us downstairs. Private and a lot of character. Great service, responsive and spot on with recommendations. Edamame was so good we ordered seconds. Excellent beer wine and sake selections. We ordered a ton of sushi and passed it around family style. A few classics, shrimp tempura rolls and spicy señorita rolls. All amazing. Deserts were excellent as well. Smores bars. Loved em.
(4)Lauren B.
I debated over how many stars to give this place and I know part of the reason for my low rating is that the location in the Strip is my absolute favorite sushi restaurant in Pittsburgh and I was so terribly disappointed here. This location is in an odd area in the middle of a bunch of construction so it's really hard to get to and the street is dark and hard to see. I guess this will improve when the construction is finished. Some reviews on here said they are BYOB but it seems they serve beer, wine and sake now. This place seems to be a fancier version of the one in the strip, but they don't quite make it work. It has more of a dining room feel, with darker lights and a bit fancier looking, but it still has some fisherman type decor, and it's of course not a fish market like the other location so it doesn't have any of that. The kitchen and sushi bar are very prominently located in the small dining room, though it appeared they had more dining tables downstairs. A shelf of napkins, forks, and some old pieces of ripped up cardboard and various other random things hanging out (see my pictures) was oddly smack in middle of the restaurant directly across from our table, in between the two bar areas, which seemed quite odd and extremely casual for the look this restaurant seemed to be going for (and he prices!). So when we arrive it was around 5:15pm and we were going for an early dinner since we had tickets to the Nutcracker at 7pm. The hostess greets us not very friendly like and asks if we have a reservation. Note that the restaurant is completely empty except for 1 table of 2 people. We say we don't, since we didn't expect there to be many people here this early. She tries to seat us at a high table right by the door and it's cold outside so I ask for one of the booth tables farther in the back. She said we can't have one of those since we didn't make a reservation (really?! your restaurant is totally empty and we just want a quick dinner before our show!). She does let us sit at another table in the back, but it turns out that's right next to a busy walkway right by the stair and the staff were constantly going in and out of that area carrying things so it was not such a great seat. When we did finally leave just over an hour later only one other of those tables had been filled! My main issue was the quality of the service, which was horrible! Besides the rude hostess, when we were seated our server didn't even greet us and just filled our water and left again. She didn't return for about 15 minutes, only then when I finally waved her over. Most of this time she was chatting with other staff at the restaurant and completely ignoring us. When I finally caught her gaze and waved her over I said we are ready to order drinks. She responded "I see that" in a really rude tone like she was annoyed with me for getting her attention. Since we didn't know if it would be 15 min before we see her again I also ordered an appetizer. As she was about to leave my friend then asked for the specials and she was like "oh I thought you might want to take your time!" Who doesn't read the specials first thing? Then we explained we had a show in an hour and she became slightly more attentive then, but she just seemed flippant and unfriendly about it. The worst part was that all of the servers, the hostess, and even some of the kitchen staff would all congregate behind this screen by the hostess desk and chit chat really loudly and obnoxiously all through our dinner, even when tables were clearly in need of service. Our table was positioned so we could see them behind the screen all looking at their computers, iphones, laptops etc. sharing pictures and videos. At one point they played a video so loudly they were all watching together that we could hear it clearly from 20 ft away, then they all started talking and laughing about it loudly, meanwhile everyone in the restaurant is ignored. This is so unprofessional! The food I ordered was great (the sushi special and the tuna gougeres app) and I would have probably rated this a 4 for the food alone, but it wasn't as amazing as the fresh fish I had in the strip. The tuna gougeres consisted of tuna tartare inside these little puff pastries which were really interesting and the sushi special included a special roll, seaweed salad and 2 pieces of nigiri for about $26. I'm really concerned about some of the other reviews on here that seem to have been served fish that was starting to spoil. That didn't happen to me, but it also wasn't quite as fresh as the other location. The prices were also quite high for some of the portion sizes, especially my friend's order of the taco appetizer, which consisted of 2 of the tinies tacos I have ever seen. I paid about twice as much here as I normally do at the other location for the same amount of food and it is better quality in the strip! I'll be sticking to the strip location from now on!
(2)Keith M.
I had the Chilean sea bass tacos for lunch! They were fantastic. They were the taco del dia, and served with corn/tomato/cilantro and a sour cream. Fresh, Friendly, and Fast. Triple F is A-OK in my book! When I start straying from my diet too far, I remember PAFC and am never disappointed!
(5)Christy C.
The Strip District location is one of my office's go-to spots for lunch, and it is SO good. Some of the best sushi in town! My usual lunch order consists of the spicy tuna roll and a bowl of their clam chowder. Unfortunately, they don't always offer the clam chowder in their rotation of hot soups, and that tends to be a disappointment. Their other soups are good, but nothing compared to the clam chowder! The aforementioned spicy tuna roll is my favorite in the city -- prepared with asparagus for a yummy crunch. I visited the downtown location for dinner and ordered the spicy salmon roll and the Mike roll, both of which were excellent. I was surprised that I was able to finish both rolls, but they were that good! We also ordered the crab dip as an appetizer and I would definitely recommend trying it! It is served hot and with sliced crostinis that are lightly toasted. Only con about that particular meal was the slow service, and they weren't even busy. The couple that I went with called ahead to ask about a corkage fee since the restaurant bills themselves as BYOB and found out that it's $15 PER ITEM. Something to keep in mind if you wanted to booze it up with a couple bottles at dinner. I would recommend staying away from the Lollipop roll if you're super hungry. My boyfriend ordered it and it was a mere 5 pieces... for $13. It's served without rice so it is a bit heavier on the fish portion than a traditional roll, but if you're hungry and want to try it out, make sure to order yourself something to accompany it.
(4)Chip R.
This place has an interesting layout: long and narrow with a chalk board menu on the wall, tables on the sides, a bar at the end and a register in the middle. I walked in and, as this being my first time here, wasn't quite sure what to do. I went to the register and asked if I should wait to be seated and the young lady at the register station told me that she would take my order and I could simply pay for it there. I told her that I'd like to try the Energy Lunch with a peach iced tea and she asked how I'd like for my salmon to be done. She then gave me a number and told me that I could seat myself and that my meal would be severed shortly. Soooo that's how it works. It only took about 5 minutes to be served and while I was waiting I observed what others had on their plates. It all looked yummy and the portions looked generous. I was thinking that I may have found a new "go to" spot for lunch. When my Energy Lunch arrived I looked at it almost expecting another dish to accompany it. The description on the menu read: "Grilled salmon, spicy ginger carrot salad, green bean salad and apple cider vinaigrette" The serving of salmon was puny placed on top of about four slices of carrot and maybe six green beans. Its presentation was beautiful, the Salmon was cooked to perfection and it was truly delicious, but it looked more like an appetizer than a lunch. I was almost tempted to stop and get a slice of pizza when I left. The menu stated that the Energy Lunch cost $10:99 and my total bill excluding tip came to $15.50. Does an iced tea really cost close to $4:00? I'd like to come back here again and try something more substantial than the Energy Lunch sometime soon. But as for now, I can't justify giving this place more than 2 stars. The portion served simply doesn't equate to the dollar value charged.
(2)Keith H.
Great spot for a quick lunch in Pittsburgh! I got there right when they opened and the staff was very friendly and actually looked like they enjoyed working with each other! On to the food. At dinner time the prices are very high, but at lunch they are extremely reasonable for fresh fish. I had a terrayaki tuna sandwich which had really good tuna and a great, balanced flavor on the sandwich. It came with a nice side salad and was under $10 which is great for center city! The only reason I did not give this a 5 was the bread to fish ratio. It was a long piece of tuna on a round roll. So there was a lot of the bread that hung over and I just had to rip off. I would recommend to the business to get better rolls to match the cut of the fish. I highly recommend Penn Avenue Fish company for lunch! An inexpensive, fresh alternative to the fast food options around town!
(4)Tara B.
What a great sushi place- that also served the best risotto I have ever had. We were a hungry table of 11. My family and I got there 30 minutes early and they were very nice and accommodating. We sat the bar and as soon as our table was ready, they sat us. Our server gave me several types of wine to taste and thanks to her, I found a great glass of wine. She did an excellent job of managing our table. The food itself was great. Excellent fun rolls. And great sake. So glad we found this place. It was excellent.
(4)Nathan W.
I originally wanted to try the location on the strip, but it was closed so we came here. I had calamari, three different kinds of sushi, seaweed salad, and my friend had the halibut. I tried some of the halibut, and it was to die for. It was cooked to perfection - perfect and interesting combination of flavors, and served on a bed of different veggies like white asparagus and brussles sprouts with a cream/mayo/vinegary type of sauce on the plate I believe. The sushi I had: spicy salmon rolls, wasn't really impressed by them, the specialty rolls is where it was at. Which leads me to the Rocking Roll, and the Green Dragon. Perfect. They were great, and I've been spoiled by sushi in Japan, so that's saying something. And I almost forgot, the calamari. It was definitely the most interesting calamari I've had. It was not fried. It comes in a bowl in a spicy tomato sauce, and served with lightly toasted but squishy bread with some kind of buttery/garlic sauce. which I have not seen before. It was different. I would have probably preferred fried calamari, but I would definitely eat this again. It would taste really great on a bed of pasta!
(5)Ian B.
Lovely little fish spot. We were staying in the Renaissance and wanted to get fish, but didn't want to deal with anything fancy or pretentious. We came here via Yelp and were immediately sat at the bar. The menu is fairly impressive in scope; dishes range from Japanese to Mediterranean. I had a really lovely calamari dish served in red sauce, olives, and really delicious (homemade) garlic bread. The sushi was also solid. It was a great dinner, great atmosphere, and worth your tie.
(5)Traci T.
I really don't understand how I am just discovering this place, but boy am I glad that it's now part of my repertoire. Some co-workers invited me to have lunch with them and I jumped at the opportunity because I love seafood and I'm always game to try something new. For the most part I think the combination of fish and cheese is weird, so I was happy that they accommodated the substitutions I made to the tuna sandwich I ordered. I thought the tuna was fresh and perfectly grilled. I went back a week later to have two maki rolls: the tuna and unagi. Both were good and tuna was very fresh. The service is pretty fast. Hope I get to make it to their other location in the Strip. Am definitely a fan.
(4)Linda C.
I love sushi and this is great sushi at a reasonable price! Might be my favorite place to get sushi regularly in Pittsburgh. They have a lot of great speciality rolls. The pretty girl roll is one of my favorites but I try to get something different each time I go. I definitely recommend going!
(5)FT P.
Great fresh seafood at a reasonable price. However, service leaves much to be desired. The food always takes forever to arrive and we had to ask for water multiple times. Last visit there was Valentine's Day - couple next to me ordered the risotto special, among other things. When they got their check, they were overcharged for the risotto. Staff explained that they recently changed prices, however when the 2nd check arrived, it still was not fixed. Staff not really apologetic, and customer was annoyed that they could get away with this. Their reasoning was - well customers should really check their bill. I recall this happened the previous time we went there too. My tip for this place, get sushi, pass on main courses, and check your bill! We will probably avoid this place and just go to strip district (which unfortunately does not take reservations).
(3)David T.
Nice. Really REALLY nice. Took a work colleague to this somewhat out of the way restaurant and was pleasantly surprised at the reception, service, and food offering. Food was first class. Service was excellent (Angel - our waitress, was all of that and more). Food selection was top. Presentation perfect. She was attentive without being the least bit in the way. If I lived in Pittsburg, it would be a favorite haunt. Go there, check it out. Your hard-earned money is well spent.
(4)Jim P.
Extremely long wait for expensive, mediocre sushi. Cramped, and just not worth the price. Just FYI, I had a totally different experience in the Strip District shop. Go there instead.
(2)Eileen D.
This place was super cute and delicious -- ask to sit downstairs if you're looking for more quiet and intimate. Upstairs was pretty loud by comparison. Docking one star because dinner is quite pricey, unless you're specifically looking for sushi. I sought this place out partially because of the $$ Yelp had given it -- which is true for lunch. But for dinner entrees, you're looking at $28+. That being said, my parents split the sea bass and they did an amazing job plating split portions, which were both extremely generous. The sushi is solid as well and my parents RAVED about the salad. I'd skip the tacos, they were tiny and hard shell which made them difficult to eat.
(4)Ted S.
If I lived in Pittsburgh I would come here so often that they'd have to get a restraining order. I really like this spot. All of their food seems delicious. Today my friend grabbed the crab cake sandwich and rice. The sandwich was served on a fresh brioche bun that looked amazing. Good sized crab cake and slaw. The rice pilaf and chick peas was a nice change from French fries. The sushi menu is diverse and I can see coming back daily for new experiences. Today was the shrimp tempura roll which was great! I also ordered a cup of the mushroom and salmon soup. I don't even like mushrooms, but this was such a tasty soup! The service was quick and friendly. This location is pretty limited on seating so I can see it being an issue during peak times. They were out of several things today which was disappointing, but you can't fault a place that's selling out.
(5)Mandy B.
I can only write a review about the California rolls, since that is all I tried. The menu says that they are to contain caviar. We ordered for pick up and got home to see that the California rolls did not have caviar. It was disappointing. The rolls were okay. No better than any other place in Pittsburgh.
(3)Brenda W.
Not yet living here but visiting to search out a new abode, husband and I were staying in a nice hotel downtown and now were in search of a "date night" venue, a quiet venue with a bit of ambiance (but not over the top) and subdued lighting to have some wine and a scrumptious meal. Well, this restaurant totally fit the bill to a tee. It's a small, quaint place (translated: not many tables). Our hostess was very pleasant and accommodating as we turned down a table near the door for the opportunity for another more intimate one with only a little bit of a wait. While waiting, we sat at the bar and perused the menu full of sushi roll options and a limited but worthy entree list. Once seated, we opted for a bottle of wine (and, as with all restaurants, the markup is significant) and ordered two of the entrees -- chilean see bass and snapper. They were both superb both in presentation and flavor. The lighting was low, the service was attentive, the food fresh and appealing. Pricey, but worth it. I'll have to do sushi another time.
(5)Jared D.
A great lunch spot in downtown Pittsburgh, with a full menu of wonderful fish sandwiches. The combinations might sound a little weird at first, but just go with it. They work. I haven't had a bad meal there yet. I personally enjoy the California tuna, which is topped with avocado, jalapeños and delicious barbecue sauce. The side dishes are also perfect. Most recently, it was a rice-based dish with chick peas.
(4)Justin D.
I love this place. I prefer the location in the Strip, but was happy to see they had opened something downtown, which I caught completely by chance as I was walking around looking for lunch. I got my old standby, the spicy tuna sandwich (formerly the Navajo) and it was just as delicious as ever. I can't comment on the sushi since I have never had it, but if looks mean anything, it certainly LOOKS excellent.
(4)Kevin F.
First time here...probably won't go back. This part of downtown is a little seedy. Lots of street people just hanging out in the neighborhood. Major construction on a high-rise just across the street. I arrived at restaurant about 130 in the afternoon. The lunch crowd was just starting to clear out. The fact that there were so many people there would seem to indicate that overall I think the food is probably good. However my energy lunch,as they call it, was less than satisfactory. I should have returned it but I was pressed for time and very hungry. It was grilled salmon with a bean salad. The salad was very good. But the salmon was grilled to the point that it was very black on one side and partly black on the other. This gave it a distinctive charcoal taste. Not good at all. Plus the customer behind me walked out when he was told his favorite dish was out of stock. Due to the location and my particular dish which was terrible, I will probably not be going back. I know this is unfair judging it on just one experience but again how can you mess up on a nice cut of fish like that? Having a Wesley Snipes movie playing on the TV at the back of the restaurant with body parts and blood flying was also an interesting touch!
(2)Nancy A.
Being born in California, I am spoiled with good sushi so I had high expectations for this place. The sushi here is okay. The fish was not as fresh as what you would get in California. Another complaint I had with the sushi was that the fish felt warm. That seemed a bit odd to me. I do like that their soy paper is in different colors. One was yellow and the other was pink. We tried a couple of rolls and a crab melt. I think the best thing we had was the crab melt. Great flavor and the bread was good. Overall, it was a good experience but nothing to rave about.
(3)Jeremia F.
Now I know that you guys all love this place so I had to check it out. Don't tell Frank over at my usual Sushi joint. I thought the sushi was indeed very good but I really didn't see or have any rolls that were out of this world unique or special. I thought that the service was pretty good and I love BYOB so I had a great beverage. The things that kept this well below a four star for me was that I thought the ambiance was just slightly too dark for me and the lights behind me were way too bright that it appeared the person I was talking to was interrogating me because the lights were so bright behind them. The deal breaker happened at the store and after the visit when I called the store to discuss their refusal to accept our Living Social coupon. I typically don't purchase these coupons but I know how to read the fine print. It was a simple $10 for $20 deal that I bought over a year ago or longer. The $20 value expires but the paid value ($10) doesn't expire for 5 years! so mine doesn't expire until April 2016, but yet the server refused the coupon which I just let it slide and contacted the store the following Monday to discuss with the manager but they never called me back. I called them two more subsequent times and each time spoke with the store manager Shanon who said they would speak with the owner Angela. After 3 weeks since their refusal to honor the coupon in store, I have still not received a callback either stating why they won't accept it or ifthey will.So they are not honoring their part of the deal, sort of irritating one reason I don't by too many deals from the internet. An excerpt from livingsocial.com/terms#d… Expiration Dates The Promotional Portion of the Voucher will always expire on the date printed on the Voucher. If the Merchant is in a state where it is permissible for the Paid Portion to expire, the Paid Portion of the Voucher will expire five (5) years from the date that the Voucher was issued. In some states, the law may require the Merchant to honor the Paid Portion of the Voucher beyond five years, in which case the Paid Portion of the Voucher will expire in accordance with the applicable law. I also e-mail livingsocial.com and confirmed that the coupons paid value was still valid. I know it's only ten bucks but come on, its half of $20. So Susan finally called me back and made me feel like I was the one in the wrong, I am a informed consumer and know how to read the fine print. Thanks for saying you would honor the coupon because those are the terms of the deal.
(2)Heather H.
Had lunch from here a few times and always after their rush when it's a little quieter. I like the environment and for downtown food it's extremely good at a reasonable price. I highly recommend the fish tacos, though I wish they came with rice in place of the cabbage-y stuff. Their chowder is also to die for. I've also heard raves about the sushi, but I've recently given up sushi and most fish so I can't personally attest to its quality. Service is okay, not too extraordinary, which is why I only gave 4 stars. The people are not rude or mean, but they're not very interested either and I've requested and not received water with my food at least twice.
(4)Paul M.
Not for a speedy lenten friday lunch...looong wait: to order and then get the food. Though, don't get me wrong, the sushi is good. Just come prepared to wait. Even on a normal lunch hour, I imagine it to be a pretty lengthy wait due to limited seating.
(3)Tom G.
Delicious! Some of the best sushi I have had in Pittsburgh. The fish was all very fresh and if your not in a sushi mood, they have great sandwiches too. I would recommend either location to anyone in the Pittsburgh area that likes fish.
(5)Kelly T.
I work in mid-town Manhattan, a wasteland of lunch opportunities. Oh, unless you want to spend $25 (on a tuna nicoise and glass of wine but I'm not telling where because I don't want my co-workers to find out). I'm also on a no-meating-eat kick, which UGH. So I'm happy to report that I had a yummy delish healthy lunch in the PGH. Tuna sandwich with avocado (skimpy on the avo), cheddar and fresh jalapenos. Ok. Not healthy but not a burger. Prices are average to high for the PGH, but on the low end for NYCeaters. It's a long narrow place where you stick your butt in other diners faces to get to your table. You take your number and you sit and they bring your food. If you're a juror, you get a free soup with your sammy. They could use a few more salad options. "Sweet mustard dressing" did not appeal At. All.
(4)Kailani K.
Words cannot express how much I love this place!! I am obsessed with sushi and was sad when we moved to Pittsburgh, because I thought I would have to give it up. Then we discovered this delightful restaurant. Their rolls are fresh and creative and I crave them daily! Hands down the best sushi in Pittsburgh!
(5)Sally O.
Amazing restaurant!!! Lunch, dinner, sushi, soup, sandwiches, and main fish dishes. I'm in Pittsburgh on a long term work assignment and am not sure I would survive without this restaurant. Fresh, healthy meals are hard to come by when only eating out-- and Penn Avenue Fish Company is my favorite. Ask them for their specials-- unbelievable fresh catches. I used to say I only liked white light not-fishy fish's to eat... I find myself experimenting and loving it here!!
(5)Meghan S.
So unlike my fellow yelpers, I did not actually go to Penn Ave Fish (on Forbes) for a regular lunch or dinner. Last night, they hosted a sushi-making class with complimentary wine and sake. I was more than impressed. The staff who put on the class were attentive, friendly, and personable. The two men who taught us how to roll were fantastic - helping with hints and tricks for getting a good sushi roll. The event included 3 rolls - a California roll, a traditional roll (choice of crab or tuna), and this super-delicious MEGA roll with shrimp tempura, spicy tuna, crab, avacado, and asparagus. Each person made their own rolls and then got to enjoy them with the "free" wine and sake.... all for $50! I thought that was a pretty darn good deal. I'm excited to go back for lunch (and thanks, Yelp, for the heads up... I'll make sure it's a day I have plenty of time!).
(5)Amanda M.
I've been here for lunch twice. I actually tried to go a couple times before that but both times we walked in (a little after noon), this little place was packed and there was nowhere to sit so we ended up walking to Market Square both times to eat. However, once we figured out that we need to get here well before noon so there are some free tables, I was very impressed with the food. The first time I went I got the swordfish sandwich and the last time I got the Nigiri Lunch sushi platter. Both times, the food was very fresh and had excellent flavors. My co-workers were likewise impressed with everything they ordered. There is a pretty extensive seafood menu, especially for how little this place is, and based on my experience, if you're looking for good, inexpensive seafood downtown, this is an excellent option. I would just suggest that if you're going for lunch on a weekday, get there by 11:45.
(5)Nicholas B.
This is a lunch-only review. One thing and one thing only makes this a five-star review for me: The sushi is hands-down the best I've ever had. The crazy tuna roll has a bit of crisp, a bit of spice, and a huge amount of flavor. The pink lady roll is the most beautiful sushi I've ever seen. The soups here and the sandwiches are excellent, and simple. My first meal here was a tomato-basil soup with Chilean sea bass (wow-good!) and a grilled tuna sandwich with jalapeno. I was impressed by both (and the taste-portion array of unique house sides). I really liked that I was eating healthy, too - the ciabatta roll was the only downer on the plate, and it was well-portioned and paired well with the grilled fish. The downsides are numerous - it's quite pricey ($17 for soup/sandwich, no drink); it's often too crowded for comfort, the service is highly lacking, the menu is a bit overwhelming on the wall - however, this place keeps me going back and spending more than I can afford because I crave the delicious fish they serve!
(5)Shari P.
Came here for dinner. I didn't know they take reservations, but we had no problem being seated. Food is amazing as usual.
(5)Maria O.
Well, a lack of quality fish is not the problem here. The problem seems to be the overly fancified menu & the long, long waits it causes. They could seriously pare the menu down a good 15 items and you'd still have plenty to choose from. That being said, the food was okay. I had a lump crabcake melt. The crab was mighty tasty but the cibatta roll was dense and tasteless. Also, tiny side scoops of coleslaw and rice/garbonzo bean salads were very sour. Thankfully, I had a small bowl of mushroom brie soup which was delicious... but of course tiny & a bit overpriced. Originally I had wanted some sushi but was told there would be a 40 minute wait, this was at 11:45 am. It's a gorgeous place & the staff seemed friendly enough but I have no idea what was going on in that kitchen. 2 people making sushi and 4 people bustling around a convection oven & a bunch of sauces and garnishes. Bummer indeed for this fish-lover.
(2)Tim K.
I see a lot of sushi reviews but you have to try their salads and sandwiches. The Sneaky Pete is outstanding (Salmon with some sort of spicy avacado sauce and the best cibatta I've ever had...from MediTerra I believe). Portions are perfect for lunch (no 3:00 crash!), P.A.F.C salad with tuna, salmon or scallops. Must try for the downtown lunch crowd. Seating is a challenge. If you go with a friend have one order and one get a seat. There is a downstairs that I wish they would utilize for lunch. As much as I love this place I walk out about 20% of the time due to the seating.
(4)Barb H.
This place gets better with each visit. They now know who I am and give great service and exceptional sushi and sashimi..... They really want their customers to be happy with their food and service.
(4)Mickey O.
Overpriced and overrated. Terrible vibe. There are many other options downtown, consider those first.
(1)Melissa U.
This place is really a toss up. On the positive side, the sandwiches are fabulous. I have had the open face tuna and its to die for. However I would say that the sushi is so so. The specialty rolls are on point, but the basic rolls taste like generic Giant Eagle sushi. I would recommend trying the pretty girl roll... Delicious! My biggest complaints are the size of the restaurant and the waiting times. If you are ordering to go, it is so crammed that there js nowhere to stand comfortably while you wait 25+ minutes for your food. If you are dining in, you are basically fighting against a room full of people to pounce on a table when it becomes available. The tables are also very close together and there are many 10 of them tops. Seems silly for such a populated hot spot. Overall the food quality makes it worth the occasion visit and battling of the seating/wait.
(3)Lucretiz C.
Not better then Sushi and Rolls located in Oxford Center. We opted to go after the lunch rush and entered the restaurant at 2:30pm and had our orderers placed almost immediately. I was hoping for more of an experience. Such as having the menu reviewed with us or hearing about any fresh catches but none were forth coming. As other have stated in their review the service was brisk and a little cold. When we walked in the tables were littered with dirty dishes and remained that way for a while. The sushi tasted very yummy I had a sushi special and my boyfriend had an eel.
(3)Kimberly R.
Tried this place with some friends who raved about it. I agree, really good sushi! Everything was fresh and the prices were not too steep. Best of all: it is BYOB! They do have some main dishes, if you are not a sushi fan. This place is busy so make a reservation!
(5)Keenan G.
This place went above and beyond my expectations when I first came here. As a Boston resident attending college in Pittsburgh, I expected any good grade sushi to be overpriced. I was very surprised to see all the specialty rolls between $7 and $13, especially considering how delicious and fresh they are. That price beats nearly all of the excellent Boston sushi I've had. I have been back several times and even converted some of my friends to sushi after taking them here. My boyfriend says this place has the best calamari he's ever had. I'm not a big fan of squid, but I enjoyed the octopus in ponzo sauce here. I recommend the spicy senorita roll and the green dragon roll. I give my 5 star rating only to the sushi menu. The dinner entrees here are delicious, but the portion sizes are incredibly small. Compounded with the $30 price tag, I would give the dinner entrees 4 stars.
(5)Jessica D.
Lunch only review. Awesome sushi. Probably, no definitely the best sushi downtown. I can't even think of another place that comes anywhere close. If you know of one, please comment and let me know. I need my raw fish in the middle of the day!!! What is also awesome about them is that they do cooked fish pretty darn good as well. I am a huge fan of the Sneaky Pete - Grilled salmon on whole grain ciabatta with fresh arugula, hearts of palm and spicy avocado crme sauce. I think that the spicy sauce has sirachi in it, which of course means it is delectable. The PAFC salad is also delicious. - I always get the scallops. No one has scallops like the Penn Ave Fish Co. They come from a different ocean - they are that good. It would be a 5 star review if they had more seating and shaved a bit off their prices.
(4)Jason D.
My wife and I dined here for lunch. It was super busy inside, so this was definitely a popular place. I ordered the spicy swordfish sandwich. I can normally handle some spice. This had several whole habernero peppers on it. This completely overpowered the sandwich and my taste buds. I took them off after one bite but the damage was already done. My wife had a mahi sandwich and loved it. Overall I'm sure my experience would have been much different had I tried something less spicy, but this kind of left me with a sour taste.
(3)Lauren C.
Why do I always fail to remember that this is a BYOB restaurant until I'm standing outside of it?! Argh, good thing you can go to the bar next door and buy a bottle of wine or get a beverage to go! Plus if the restaurant is crowded (which it always is), you can go next door for a drink and they'll come get you when your table is ready. I'm not a huge sushi fan but that's all I ever order here. I've never gone with a hot menu item, always the sushi rolls. They are just so fresh and delicious. I've done the flower roll, the ronnie roll, the yummy roll, the spicy senorita, etc. You just can't go wrong although I favor the spicy rolls. My favorite is the hot pepper roll (cream cheese, salmon and banana peppers). Yum!! I recommend going with a group so you can order a wide variety of sushi and share. My biggest gripe about the restaurant is just the small size. There are possibly 10 tables and some bar seating so you should definitely make a reservation and bring your own wine! It's also a little pricey. I've had good service both times I've been there and they do a nice job of making recommendations and explaining the various sushi rolls to you. I've also ordered the cheesecake for dessert. It's good. Not the best I've ever had but being a cheesecake connoisseur, I'm pretty picky.
(4)Patrick R.
Tried this place last weekend on the advice of Rachel C. That lady knows her sushi - the fish was top quality and they had some interesting rolls and combinations. The crazy tuna and flower roll were the real standouts of the evening. Plus it's BYO... always a bonus. I was glad we had a reservation for dinner; the place was packed and we would have been waiting a while with our group of 6 had we not called ahead.
(5)Ally O.
Penn Ave Fish (Downtown) is one of my favorite places for lunch takeout. And it's not a measly few orders. It's usually around 20 orders including soups, specials, and sushi (all different)! We call around 11:15a to place the order and they can usually have it ready within an hour. And more times than not, the orders are perfectly prepared, not forgetting one soup! When we pick up, the line is usually out the door, so I'm sure it isn't easy to get a large order correct during the prime time lunch rush. Inside is small, but the chatter and blue iridescent tile décor give it a lively atmosphere. The Ronnie Roll is my favorite! Don't let the bright yellow soy wrap scare you!
(5)Elaina S.
We came with a large group of friends for a birthday dinner. We started with a sushi plate, which was great, and then I ordered the sea bass and my boyfriend ordered the black cod. The black cod was very good, but there was something about the sea bass that I just couldn't get past - it tasted like perm solution, but I couldn't figure out why. I passed the dish to my boyfriend, who immediately said it tasted like ammonia. When we asked the waitress, she said another diner had the same comment on the dish, and that we just must not like the miso glaze on the fish. Unfortunately, it wasn't until after we left and in talking with others / looking online that we realized the ammonia taste is a product of fish that isn't fresh. Really? We come to a seafood restaurant, order a $40 dish, and can't expect fresh fish. Needless to say, we won't be back, as we've had much better experiences at other area seafood restaurants.
(2)Rita D.
I was so happy when I found out that they have fish company at Downtown. The food is not as fresh as the one in the stripe. I like the one in stripe better even they have the same menu.
(3)Dave K.
This place has a pretty cool vibe and the food was good as well. I could go up to five starts if I eat here a few more times. Nice work!
(4)Maher H.
I came here with some coworkers for a Friday lunch. It was pretty busy but we got seats quickly. The space is a little narrow and gets crowded easily but the decor is nicely done. Move near to the cashier first to grab a menu so you can look over it before ordering. This one of those places where you place an order, they give you a number and then you sit down to wait for the food to be brought out to you. I had the fried cod sandwich, which was really nicely done. The breading was light, not too thick or overbearing and didn't overpower the taste of the fish. They also serve sushi and rolls, which were pretty good. My colleagues had the fish tacos and seared tilapia, both of which they liked. Overall, I enjoyed this restaurant. It's moderately priced ($10-$20ish) and I'd come back again.
(4)David T.
Penn Ave Seafood Co's second location in downtown Pittsburgh. They are open for lunch and dinner (serving dinner WED - FRI starting November 10). The menu seems to be virtually the same as the original location in the strip. You can see the menu at their website, but basically it consists of all sorts of different sushi rolls and platters. They also have 10 or so $9-12 sandwiches and 6-8 other items (Tacos, pizza) that vary with the season from what I can tell. Honestly, the food is extremely tasty. The sandwiches are always cooked to order and the sauces and aiolis are always quite tasty. The cole slaw and salads that come on the side are also well conceived (I had a couscous apple chickpea salad with mine). The ciabatta breads are very tasty but soft enough to be manageable in a sandwich form. The only critique I have at the moment is that the layout is rather awkward. It is sometimes hard to tell if they are even open walking by, and it is hard to see the menu board while waiting in line. I hope to return soon and split a sushi platter with friends. BYOB
(4)Sal W.
This is a new location. The quality of the food was pretty good, but it was expensive and the portions are small. I had a crab melt sandwich, for $12, NOT including any drinks or soup. I felt the price should have been closer to six. They also offer sushi here. Unfortunately they do not offer the $18 Wednesday all-you-can-eat deal at this location. :( Hey, the downtown needs sushi love too!! Too bad, because they would have created another regular customer. Anyway, this isn't exactly a service place, but you order and they bring the food to you. The server was friendly. Credit cards including Discover accepted here. One downside is the table setup. It is a narrow path to the cashier and the tables line the corridor. Being it a Friday, it was swamped. You will have a lot of people standing near, staring at, breathing on and talking near your food. Food Quality/Taste = 4 Stars Portion Size Given Price = 2 Stars Relative Price = 2 Stars Service = N/A Experience with Staff = 4 Stars Decor = 3 Stars Clean (yes/no) = yes
(3)Gigi L.
Went there with a friend for lunch and it was a long wait. We tried to avoid rush hour and got there around11:30. We were the first few customers, but we still had to wait 15minutes for a sushi roll. I ordered a special sushi roll for about $9 expecting it to be like other house special sushi rolls which are often bigger and better than regular rolls. But it came out to be 5 piece roll and not that special.
(3)Chad S.
Wow the hostess had to be the ruddiest person I have ever encountered in Pittsburgh. The Sushi is great but the horrible hostess will make you want take home sushi from the Giant Eagle. We arrived on time at 7:30PM for our reservation, asked if we could sit at one of 2 open tables that sat 4 and were told "no you have to sit at the bar" which across from the stove and they have very poor A/C. The heat of the gas burning cooktop made it like you feel like you were in the kitchen, oh well I guess we were in the kitchen. Those 2 open tables became 3 open tables for four but we were not allowed to move. Then "super hostess" Megan turned away another party of 3 saying "sorry we are booked." Maybe she could get a job at the DMV. She would be prefect there.
(1)Bartley W.
Sort of a cafe style sushi spot, great for lunch. Order and Pay before sitting down. They give you a order number and bring out your food pretty quick. Salmon Nigiri $4.00 (2 Pieces of Salmon on small rectangles of rice) was very good. Spicy Tuna Roll was definitely acceptable, and a cup of the Soup Du Jour, (that's the "Soup of the Day") was just right. Their drink selection is a bit...lacking. Bottled and Canned beverages. Will certainly be returning, but found the price to be a bit high at $15.00 for lunch.
(4)Paul S.
The only reason I'm deducting a point is because I wish it was bigger... Often you can't get in during lunch, but that's only because their food is awesome. By far the best sushi in town and their specials are really good.
(4)Jess B.
Just an update on parking. The city took away the pay til' 10 pm parking enforcement. Its back to 6:00 thank goodness. I heard on NPR that the city is freezing this 10pm parking enforcement only until January 1st though. The City Council will be revisiting the times again after that.
(4)Kay K.
WE LOVE THIS RESTAURANT! We recently moved here from Atlanta and this is the only restaurant that we found to be consistent! We keep going back every week....... Great Food, Great Service, Great Atmosphere. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!!
(5)Andrew S.
Cool location, small place, somewhat pricey, but good food. Would not eat here all the time due to cost but recommended due to the fresh fish.
(4)Lisa R.
I visited this place for dinner during a recent trip back to Pittsburgh for homecoming weekend. Honestly, coming from coastal California, I didn't expect such fresh fish in a land-locked city but I was floored. I am not a huge sushi fan, but the group I was with ordered sushi and I couldn't get enough. I especially liked the Benny roll. We also shared a few appetizers and entrees, and to me the spicy calamari and the grouper were amazing. The crab cakes were full of crab meat (not breading or fillers) and not overly seasoned like in most restaurants. In fact everything we ordered tasted fresh and delicious, and was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The service was impeccable and we were a large, boisterous (and probably annoyingly loud) party. Highly recommend.
(5)Amy H.
I was soo happy with my visit here! We made reservations for a Friday night (as the site recommended) and even though it wasn't crowded when we first arrived, it was a good thing that we called ahead. The ambiance of the restaurant is simple yet chic. The decor is really nice, but the entire place has a casual feel to it. Our waitress was super sweet and speedy (even though she had a burnt hand - poor thing) but she was on top of it. BYOB... and, the sushi. The sushi was the best I've had in a while. The Spicy Senorita Roll, OMG. Cilantro? YES! On sushi, cilantro rules. And Sriracha as well... delicious. We also had the Boston Roll, Green Fuji and Bella-something roll (shrimp tempura). They were all delicious. I don't eat any meat or fish often, but the quality of freshness here was superb. The whole experience was A+. I'm sad I haven't found out about this place sooner!
(5)Justin S.
Best downtown secret. Very fairly priced, (seems) healthy lunch spot. I go with the Energy lunch (salmon), but the sandwiches are very good too!
(5)Cab M.
We arrived at 6PM just as they opened. We sat near the front at a 2 person table. Each table is set with wine glasses and our BYOB was opened immediately upon settling in. This is a very narrow building and I could see how it may get a bit tight with a full crowd. For appetizers we shared the Yellow Tail Sashimi and Flower Roll. Even though I know Yellow Tail Tuna is expensive I was moderately surprised it only included 3 small pieces. The quality was excellent however. We both ordered Halibut for our entree' and were glad we did. It was cooked perfectly and seasoned simply so that the flavor of the fish came through. We made reservations for a mid-week dinner prior to a show at the Benedum. I was surprised they didn't open until 6PM but still figured we should have enough time to comfortably make a 7:30 PM show. We did.
(4)