Caplinger's Fresh Catch fish market in Indianapolis

I was back in my hometown of Indy a couple weeks ago for Gen Con (big tabletop gaming / nerd culture convention / total dork-a-thon) and met up with an old friend who kept going on about this awesome new fresh fish place on Shadeland. Now I grew up in Indy but haven't lived there for almost a decade so naturally I may have scoffed a little bit at the idea of a first-rate seafood joint and fresh fish counter in this very midwestern town. But I was proven dead wrong when I stepped in.

Caplinger's is a combination fish market and quick service restaurant. They have a big menu of lunch favorites like sandwiches and seafood platters, but you can also pick out any item in their fish case and have them cook it for you right on the spot. Their fish selection was moderate-sized but impressive, especially the super-fatty king salmon, gulf shrimp and tiger prawns.

(not my pic, but it shows off the fish selection)

At lunch the place is really busy with a mixed crowd. Blue collar, white collar, medical workers, retirees, every race and tax bracket represented, all here for the same thing: great seafood. There is nothing fancy about the menu here, it is all the humble seafood shack basics done very very well: fried and grilled fish and shrimp, alongside homemade sides like slaw, collards and perfectly fried not-overly-greasy hush puppies. My Caplinger's Special sandwich was nothing more than a simple fried whitefish fillet on a sandwich roll:

But the fillet was perfectly cooked, the produce fresh and crisp, the tartar sauce just right with just enough sweetness and tang, bread-and-butter pickles homemade with a nice spice blend, and the bun freshly baked. This place just nails all the fundamentals and turns out a great product by paying attention to details as opposed to doing a pretentious "take on" or "elevated" seafood shack fare. This place is a can't-miss if you're in Indy:

Caplinger's Fresh Catch
7460 Shadeland Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46250