In 2024, we have many types of kosher restaurants. There are plenty of old classics around (Chinese, Israeli, Pizza, Bagels) to go with the new staples (steakhouse, smokehouse, burgers, dairy Italian) that make up most of our kosher landscape. Sometimes we even get interesting new entries that excite us (new ethnic cuisines, fusion restaurants, etc.).
But today’s restaurant is none of those. This is not a typical type of kosher restaurant. It’s not new, it’s not complicated, and it’s not fancy.
The Fish Grill is exactly what it sounds like. They are grilling fish. Fine, that’s not it whole menu, but this is most of it. You know how some people say don’t order fish at a meat restaurant because you don’t know if the kitchen knows what they’re doing? Well, this is the place to order fish. Not only do they know what they’re doing, but they’ve been doing it for a long time.
The first location opened in 1986 in California and they have a well maintained reputation as one of the best places to eat if you are in Los Angeles. After opening a restaurant in the Lakewood area in 2019, they decided to expand to Brooklyn, where they opened a new location earlier this year.
When I was invited to check out the Brooklyn location, the first thing I noticed was how unpretentious yet clean and fresh everything was. The food came on paper plates, but it wasn’t a greasy spoon.
My top recommendation goes to the Mesquite Grilled Sea Bass. It was grilled to perfection with a house blend of seasonings (don’t try to ask, they won’t tell you) and it was one of the best pieces of fish I’ve ever had. The taste is different from your more common fish like ahi tuna or salmon, and the texture is different too.
pico de gallo
Any type of grilled fish on the menu can be served on a plate with two sides (I recommend either the fries and salad or the chips with pico de gallo and guacamole), on tacos, on a sandwich, on a wrap, on top of a plate of pasta, or on top of a salad. I don’t think you really need my help when it comes to how you like to eat your fish; probably depends more on your personal taste and your mood on the given day. Make your food what you want.
If for some reason you’re at the Fish Grill and don’t want to eat fish (perhaps you’ve been misled or kidnapped by people with good taste), order Penne alla Vodka. It’s super creamy and has a great consistency, which is impressive for a non-pasta restaurant. It’s also probably a safe bet if you’ve brought along a toddler who has chosen this moment to decide they’re an anti-pestarian.
As good as the grilled options are, some of the non-grilled options are also notable in quality. Fish and chips are classic and this version is everything you’d expect. Two pollock filets are fried and served over house-made fries with coleslaw, tartar sauce, and ketchup. Like many things at Fish Grill, it’s simple, perfectly executed, and delicious.
While you can choose to order grilled fish for your bowl, I suggest getting a poke bowl with traditional raw fish. You can choose your base of rice or lettuce (I generally go half and half), choose ahi tuna or salmon (again, I like to go 50/50), and then choose from their multitude of toppings and sauces . When mixed, my bowl was so delicious that I had to remind myself to leave the room to try other dishes. As always, poke bowls are only good when the ingredients are fresh. Wherever that is, here it is.
My last recommendation is a bit off the menu, but ask for the fish poppers. These bite size chunks of pollock are tossed in a sweet and spicy house sauce and served over white rice. Somehow the result is as delicious as the recipe seems effortless. The rice was light and the poppers were crispy, the sauce was balanced, and somehow I didn’t miss the usual chicken that came with it.
The Fish Grill logo says “only the latest” and that cannot be understated. They only serve fish that day. That means, despite being a diary restaurant, they don’t open on Saturday nights. It also means running out of a type of fish sometimes. But it is a concept to which they are committed. They make whatever they can at home (including things that are easy to buy, like fries and chips).
So if you’re in New York, New Jersey, or California, give Fish Grill a try. Whatever you end up with will be fresh, tasty and you probably won’t find it anywhere else.
Nati Burnside is a freelance writer living in Fair Lawn and a person of many interests. He can be reached at [email protected].
