Isaacson and Stein Fish Company review

Hi everyone,

I went to Isaacson and Stein yesterday to buy some fish. The experience wasn't great and since it was my first time there I wanted to see if my experience was common. The main problem was that many of the fish simply weren't that fresh. Some of the methods I use to assess freshness are to (1) see if the eyes are clear. Cloudy eyes indicate a lack of freshness. (2) see if there is a fresh smell of the sea. (3) lightly press the flesh of a filet. If it has some bounce to it and returns to its original form, it's fresh. If there is a permanent imprint of my finger, it isn't as fresh.

The vast majority of the fish seemed very fresh. And the prices are excellent. But there were a good number of fish that didn't pass at least one of my tests above. Many whole fish had eyes that were clouded over. I was interested in some salmon filets, especially. Many had no smell whatsoever, which was strange (but much better than a fishy smell, of course). Worst, some were clearly "mushy" and didn't bounce back at all when I gently pressed.

So I ended up getting some excellent wild king salmon filets from Whole Foods (on sale).

What are your experiences with Stein and Isaacson?
What are your favorate places for fresh fish in the city?


Isaacson and Stein Fish Company
(312) 421-2444
800 W Fulton Market
Chicago, IL 60607

Darren,

Did you grow up near the coasts where fresh fish is a slam dunk?

At least when I was a kid, most of the fish bought would not have passed your tests. While we have excellent chilling resources and rapid delivery via next day service, its still not a few hours fresh from the ocean. I remember watching an old Julia Child French Chef episode with tips similar to yours and felt it was pretty much fantasy at least for the midwest. Frankly I am more comfortable buying flash frozen fish to this day than 'fresh.'

I do like buying live fish from tanks in Chinatown then race home to cook it. I will buy salmon filets at Costco. So I am not totally fresh fish adverse.

Anyway I realize I am not answering your question. Just more or less thinking out loud about my general lack of interest in buying fresh fish.

Best regards,

My experiences at I&S have been disappointing in just the same way as those reported above. When I've been there, there were certainly many items that looked and smelled good, but there was also a surprising percentage of merchandise which didn't seem to be in a condition that made me inclined to bite. And the percentage of shrimp in a batch I bought that tasted off (not rotten, mind you, but not right) made me decide not to go back. I'm left wondering whether what they offer in the retail shop is largely or partly what their wholesale customers (I assume restaurants and stores are their main business) haven't bought up.

I've had consistent success in getting fresh seafood at Whole Foods in recent years, albeit at consistently hefty prices. Dirk's, which from the praise of fans here on the board seems to be a first rate fishmonger, is a place I still need to visit. On the other hand, I feel no particular desire or need to revisit I&S, pending the appearance of some reports of improvement. I'd definitely be willing to give them another try but I would first have to be prodded by recommendations from trusted sources.

Has anyone been to Rubino's on Lake Street, I think, just east of Halsted?

Antonius

For ahi, I&S is my go-to fishmonger. At $13.95/lb, it's a bargain (compared to $20+/lb at Dirk's) and I've never had a bad experience with their tuna. Other fish...eh, hit and miss. I had some particularly disappointing mussels last time I went there. But for yellowfin, I'll make the trip.

I have been to Rubino's on numerous occasions. I have had good and just OK salmon, and really good whole snapper several times. I have also purchased octopus a few times, but outside of checking for a bad smell I don't really know how else to judge it. It's always turned out well in things that I make. One thing I like is they always offer you ice to transport. Not sure if this is common fishmonger practice, but I am impressed by that. Prices are a little better than Caputo's and about half of what Dominicks or Jewel would charge. I give it a thumbs up.

cybermud wrote:One thing I like is they always offer you ice to transport. Not sure if this is common fishmonger practice, but I am impressed by that.

It is indeed nice that they offer it. I always ask for some ice whenever I buy fresh fish anywhere. I usually have a cooler in my car where I'll keep the fish and ice even for a short trip. If I don't have the cooler, I still want the ice in the shopping bag.

I've never had a fishmonger anywhere ever bat an eye when I ask for ice. But it is nice for them to pre-emptively offer it.

I like I&S and have had nothing but good experiences there, but I go there very rarely, mainly due to it being inconvenient.

Best,
Michael

I love taking first timers to I&S and shocking them with its industrial austerity and sheer fishiness. I have seen selections there that I would pass on, but I've never bought anything off, perhaps due to my diligent choosiness. I&S has a great selection and cheap prices but you get what you pay for, one way or another.

The first time I went there I had on very open sandals and came out with feet covered in fish guts and scales!

-ramon

Darren72,

You say your experience at I&S "wasn't all that great". But you say that "the vast majority of the fish seemed very fresh". And "the prices are excellent".

???

I say, "get the fresh stuff". Don't get the not so fresh. You have options.

I'll give you an example. Recently, Stanley's produce place has been my go to place because they have such a great selection at good (mostly) prices. There are times, however, when you can't find a decent head of romaine, so we either do without or find it elsewhere. But that doesn't make it a "not so great shopping experience". If I have to have that lettuce, I know where to find it. It's at the store that sells the $0.99 lemons.

I often buy cherrystones at I&S, but when they aren't up to snuff, I'll go over to Rubio's, where there is maybe 30% of the selection of fresh fish available across the street, but usually fresher clams.

Have you taken a good look at majority of the I&S clientele? These aren't people dressed in the latest designer clothes, but they are folks who are happy to find a great variety of fish and shellfish for their ethnic dishes at a good price. And these folks know more about freshness of seafood than the suburbanites buying shrink wrapped farm raised salmon at the Jewell for $13 a pound.

Regarding the freshness of shrimp and clams at I&S: I believe that the problem might be (just an educated guess) their practice of mixing old and new product in order to give a more abundant look to their self serve bins. After a few days of mixing old and new, with the customers digging around mixing things up further,
it doesn't surprise me to hear that occasionally, a few of the shrimp are off. A better, yet less impressive method would of course be to sell the old and then present a more impressive display of the newer stuff.

I&S is my go to place for cod, swordfish, whole skinned catfish, and occasionally whole, dressed croakers for pan frying. If I want a piece of pristine wild salmon for curing or live soft crabs, it's F&O, but I walk in knowing that I'll be spending 25 bucks a pound for the salmon and $6 each for the crabs. Money well spent. (No more soft shells at Whole Foods ) I also love the experience of going to a fish market like I&S, that carries maybe 12-15 different types of fish in the round, and another 12-15 types of fillets.

Rubio's is my go to place for canned pasteurized crabmeat, clams, and I get their 16/20 shrimp in 5# boxes. I'm not impressed at all with their fish selection in terms of options.

I'm glad to have both I&S and Rubio's nearby. I can't imagine getting my seafood where they sell those $0.99 lemons.

ER,

I said above that I was quite willing to be prodded back to trying I&S again if the prodding came from the right sources. I respect your opinions greatly and will therefore give them another try...

Evil Ronnie wrote:Regarding the freshness of shrimp and clams at I&S: I believe that the problem might be (just an educated guess) their practice of mixing old and new product in order to give a more abundant look to their self serve bins. After a few days of mixing old and new, with the customers digging around mixing things up further,
it doesn't surprise me to hear that occasionally, a few of the shrimp are off. A better, yet less impressive method would of course be to sell the old and then present a more impressive display of the newer stuff.

... but I will go and look specifically for some of the things you mention as being consistently good there. Less inclined am I, however, to try the shrimp again. I'm sure the practice you describe above is the cause behind the problem I've encountered. And mind you, it wasn't one or two bad individuals out of a bunch but a significant number, as in 33% - 50%. Such practices are precisely what rates a fishmonger a low score in my book and that's why I decided to write I&S more or less off.

I'm glad to have both I&S and Rubio's nearby. I can't imagine getting my seafood where they sell those $0.99 lemons.

I had a couple of disappointments in the early to mid 90's with seafood purchased at the Whole Foods over by Sam's and stopped going there. When the WF on Superior by Dearborn opened, given the ease with which I could get there from Printers' Row, I started going there. Over the several years since then, I have had no single problem with anything I've gotten from their fish counter. The prices are high but, in my experience, the products are good and the handling good. Mixing old in with new is to my mind a decidly bad practice and one that results in mixed batches of the sort I've gotten at I&S. Now, if they don't do that, another explanation needs to be sought, but I doubt that's the case. High quality frozen shrimp that are handled properly should be close to 100% good.

Yup, the lemons are a rip-off... that's why I buy them in Pilsen or Little Village.

A

Antonius wrote:I had a couple of disappointments in the early to mid 90's with seafood purchased at the Whole Foods over by Sam's and stopped going there. When the WF on Superior by Dearborn opened, given the ease with which I could get there from Printers' Row, I started going there. Over the several years since then, I have had no single problem with anything I've gotten from their fish counter.

Antonius,

This mirrors my WF experience as well. I had a discussion about this with the fish dept. manager at the WF on Ashland near Belmont and his explaination was that each fish department is managed separately and run as a completely independant operation. That's why one can be so much better than another...even within the same chain. It really depends on the manager of the department.

stevez wrote:This mirrors my WF experience as well... each fish department is managed separately and run as a completely independant operation. That's why one can be so much better than another...even within the same chain. It really depends on the manager of the department.

Steve,

Thanks. That's interesting and, obviously, explains the difference I experienced. It also raises the question of which are the best WF branches for seafood in the area and which the less good. Also, is this organisational approach used only in the seafood deparatments or in other departments as well, e.g., meat or cheese/charcuterie? But perhaps that all should be brought up in a WF thread...

Antonius

Antonius wrote:Also, is this organisational approach used only in the seafood deparatments or in other departments as well, e.g., meat or cheese/charcuterie? But perhaps that all should be brought up in a WF thread...

I know for a fact (from speaking with the managers in charge of these departments) that it holds true for coffee/tea and beer/wine. Not so much of an issue there with quality (with the exception perhaps of just seeing to it that the freshly roasted beans are rotated out frequently, that beer and wine are stored properly, etc.), but goes more to selection.

Evil Ronnie wrote:Darren72,

You say your experience at I&S "wasn't all that great". But you say that "the vast majority of the fish seemed very fresh". And "the prices are excellent".

???

I say, "get the fresh stuff". Don't get the not so fresh. You have options.

Perhaps I am misinterpreting your tone and your meaning of "???". If so, I apologize. I was trying to highlight that there were both positives and negatives at I&S. I simply wanted to know the opinion of others who had more experience shopping there. The quality of the less-than-fresh stuff was miserable. If you think I'm being obtuse for expecting perfection, you've misinterpreted me. I wasn't expecting perfection. Rather, I was interested to know if my experience was typical (which it seems to be) and where others shop for fish.

I wasn't looking for a smart ass response of "get the fresh stuff". I do know how to shop, have been doing it for many years now.

Darren72,

Please don't take Evil R's words personally, he is after all EVIL. You initiated an excellent discussion, thank you. I look forward to what you post in the future.

-ramon

Darren72 wrote:I wasn't looking for a smart ass response of "get the fresh stuff". I do know how to shop, have been doing it for many years now.

Darren,

Evil, a professional chef, went on for 7 paragraphs after his "???" including another wholesale type place, within walking distance of IS, for you to shop, as you requested. That does not qualify as a "smart ass" response in my book.

LTHForum is not a ask a question, get a direct answer, service. We have discussions, there is thread drift, sometimes questions asked never receive an answer.

I'm sure, from the fashion you initiated the IS discussion, you will be a good addition to the mix on LTHForum, but please, don't skew personal. Anyway, as Ramon pointed out, Evil R is Evil

Enjoy,
Gary

I've had hits and misses at I&S, too, but I'll give it up for the service.

Most recently, I grabbed some lake trout (because I've never had it...and now I know better) and had their guy clean it. I like to watch the cleaning/gutting, and when he split the thing open, the flesh was mottled with big, blood-red splotches. He showed it to me and, in what I thought was a pretty stellar display of customer service, said, 'You probably want to pick out another one.' I don't know what the red splotches were; and as embarrassing as it is to admit, he easily could've sent me home with the damaged goods.

I picked out another trout...and only after fishing around for recipes and opinions on LTH did I find out that lake trout is kinda nasty.

Well, almost 8 years later and Evil Ronnie is still right. I just wanted to bump (necro? what do the kids say?) this thread because I stepped into a place that I'd sort of given up on and was quite pleased.

When this Tampa kid (who worked in grouper shacks during HS and college summers) first stepped into I&S back in the 90's, I was pretty happy. After a while, I&S seemed run down, yet had its moments with fresh, cheap fish if you hit on the right day and knew what to look for. But the place reeked. A bunch of new stuff opened, particularly Dirk's, Mitsuwa beckoned, and even Whole Foods and Meijer(for lake fish) covered my fish needs, though none especially well for whole ocean finfish at a reasonable price.

A few weeks ago I was taking in the current splendor of the near west side. Seems like a golden age to me - still lots of working meat businesses in their prime (Peoria, Grant Park, Olympia, Excel, to name a few), plus great coffee roasters, breweries, supply stores, Chicago Cutlery, all in addition to the restaurants of the 'hood. And what I was there for: charcuterie and cheese. Stops in PQM, JP Graziano, and the new West Loop Salumi made me wish maybe I lived nearer Lake and Peoria. I had a few minutes to kill and walked into I&S. Much neater and cleaner than my last visit years ago and almost all of the fish looked just great. The place smelled less bad, but still could use some help. Part of the issue, I think, is also what makes the place great - the 100% free prep from guys that really know what they are doing. It results in a lot of guts, heads and bones, the latter of which are stacked hip high in bins that don't seem to be too refrigerated. Anyhow, I was stunned by the very large, completely pristine gulf red snapper (real red snapper, not some marketing likeness). I grabbed a 4 pounder and had it filleted sarandeado style (helps that the fish prep guys are Mexican) and grabbed another few pounds of fresh, wild yellow perch. It all cost less than $40 and was all really great. The snapper in particular blew me away with its freshness (good fresh yellow perch is not so rare here).

I don't even think my snapper was the freshest stuff or nearly the best deal. That would probably have been the farm-raised (in Greece) sea bream/dorade/orata. The Greektown staple is a terrific whole fish to eat, and the plate-size examples at I&S must be coming from the same place on the same planes as those down the street and over in Astoria, Queens. Another great looking, reasonably-priced fish was the pompano - a common delicacy in FL and NOLA but not much seen up north. I suspect these were farmed, too, which is becoming popular for this fish. I'm all for it if it supports sustainable harvests and this kind of freshness. A very nice reacquaintance. And like every other place in the area, from Little Goat and its TV tourists to Peoria Packing and its pig feet buyers, I&S was buzzing. Which is what you need to see in your fishmonger.

End of an era--no word yet on whether they're moving or closing for good. https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20161012/west-loop/isaacson-stein-fish-market-sells-r2-companies-fulton-market

boudreaulicious wrote:End of an era--no word yet on whether they're moving or closing for good. https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20161012/west-loop/isaacson-stein-fish-market-sells-r2-companies-fulton-market

This one is hitting me pretty hard, everyone. Any news on what lies in their future would be appreciated.

The company said it had merged with Supreme Lobster in Villa Park. When a customer complained that the selection and pricing wouldn't be the same, the store responded that Supreme had "picked up some of our suppliers, so they will have some of the same fish we had."

https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2017012 ... ton-market

Fulton Market's footstep-following behind NY's Meatpacking District toward oblivion is accelerating. Very depressing.