I've shopped at Whole Foods for seafood for many years, but in the last couple of years I've been unhappy with the selection, service, and what I perceived as a drop in staff expertise since the acquisition. I'm very particular about where my seafood comes from, so I did some digging and discovered Aqua Best. Steven, the owner, runs a family-focused operation, and the difference is clear: he and his team are exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly. The market itself has a clean, inviting feel with no off-putting odor, which is a huge plus. Their staff genuinely knows their seafood and can answer questions with confidence. Aqua Best also supplies seafood to some of New York City's top fine-dining restaurants, which speaks to the quality and consistency you can expect. I decided to give them a try and left with Bronzino, Snapper, and Gulf Shrimp. All three were superb--fresh, well-prepared help in selecting portions, and clearly handled with care. If you're picky about seafood quality, provenance, and customer service, Aqua Best is worth a visit. read more

Aqua Best - Shrimp - Seafood Markets Near Me - New York, New York

First Impressions: typical Chinatown seafood market... but a lot less of the typical seafood smells I've come to associate with these types of markets. This spot came as a recommendation by a friend and has become my go-to for caviar The Noms: I always get 30-100g of their ossetra caviar depending on the occasion and how large my party is. Most often I get the 30g as a treat for one. Last occasion was for the Stranger Things season 5 finale on New Year's Eve. A steak and some mini potatoes made for the perfect girl dinner. In Conclusion: I've been going here since my friend recommended it in 2024. Love it for the quality and the price. I've been gate keeping it but now feel like it would be wrong not to share this awesome spot. Also, service is quick and polite and they took the time to answer all my Qs on my first few visits. read more

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best fish market! good prices and knowledgeable staff. Loved this place. Will definitely come back

Great dinning experience. Friendly staff. Nice ambiance. Delicious food. Close to home.

Loyal Customer for Decades Customer service is top notch, good selection of fish, at least 8 different types of oysters, of course their specialty, live lobsters, and occasionally, seasonally, some exotic items such as monk fish liver, green uni...etc. Aqua Best is always my default for special meals, holidays. I was cooking in a LES tapas restaurant in the early 2000's and this was also our "secret" place when planning specials. read more

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Aqua Best is a hidden gem on Grand in Chinatown--totally unassuming, but once you know, you *know*. I found this place on Reddit while searching for the freshest fish, and it did not disappoint. It can get pretty busy, but the people working here are awesome. They're super knowledgeable and refreshingly honest about what to get (and they're not just trying to upsell you). Everything's fresh, but they'll guide you to what's best for that day. I've been here twice now, and both times I was really happy with the quality and freshness of the fish. If you're looking for a reliable spot for top-tier seafood, this is it! read more

I ordered takeout for snow crabs legs, and headless shrimp. I like my shrimp removed of the digestive track. Because of this I wasn't able to enjoy my meal. Each his own, but I prefer to have my Shrimp clean. read more

Purchased uni, roe and caviar to complement my sushi. Very fresh and high quality. The store itself has so much fish, scallops, crab and lobster that I plan to revisit ASAP. read more

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This small but mighty seafood market takes its sourcing seriously, and anyone in the know/working in the city's restaurant industry will have heard of Aqua Best. They're not only New York's biggest lobster dealer but also the leading exporters and distributors of tilapia and rainbow trout in the North American market, according to them anyway. Having heard so much about them and being someone who dabbles in cooking seafood at home from time to time, I knew to head there when I wanted to try my hand at some new summer recipes. I knew I had a slow cooked tuna steak with red onion and clams with wine sauce in my future and the only thing standing in the way of that was me getting my hands on some high quality seafood, so to Aqua Best I went. The market itself was a lot smaller than I imagined, with them being an industry leader, but I'm sure much of the distribution goes on outside of this storefront. The options weren't super expansive but I was able to buy a pound of fresh clams and a frozen sushi grade tuna steak with their help. Prices seemed mid-tier to high, but I'm so happy to support this local shop that offers to source all kinds of seafood for you if you ask. All the food I carefully prepared turned out great. You have to be discerning and particular about where you purchase your fish, and the knowledgeable folks at Aqua Best will steer you in the right direction. read more

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I've ordered a ton from Aqua Best throughout the last year, but I visited in-person for the first time this weekend! Just from walking by on the street, it's hard to differentiate the perfection of Aqua Best from other seafood markets in Chinatown. But you can tell this place is great once you walk in. While I was there picking up from black bass, two chefs can by to pickup orders. They also supply to some of NYCs best restaurants. They have or can source almost anything for you and specialize in lobsters. They're also getting fresh crawfish all summer. Ordering for delivery is easy and efficient, but don't be afraid to pop in! The staff is super friendly and one of the two owners will probably be around to help you out. read more

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I have previously shopped there. Clean for fish monger. Staff know their way around seafood, especially the live lobsters in tanks. Frozen seafood also available. Larger orders can be reserved. Local business owner. Chinese, English, Spanish spoken. They participate in good to go program to reduce food waste. As a cook, I appreciated the fresh salmon strips for chowder, paella, and cioppino. They have all ingredients for these dishes here. They have a YouTube video. read more

An extremely clean place with friendly staff and the most freshest and delicious fish and seafood in NYC!! Also very reasonably priced and large selection! read more

Thank you for supplying the lobster, clams, mussels and shrimp for my Christmas lunch, Daniel Boulud's stovetop clambake! Ordering was easy, miscommunication with pickup day but order was put together in 10 minutes. I'm a fan! read more

Aqua Best - Daniel Boulud stovetop clambake - Seafood Markets Near Me - New York, New York

This review is about a Toogoodtogo order. Wasn't sure what to expect got a small bag of salmon belly scraps that's literally trash. It's supposed to be worth $12 value but looks like about $2 (I paid $4). Oh well not much of a deal. read more

Aqua Best - A Toogoodtogo purchase that's supposed to be a $12 value. More like $2 - Seafood Markets Near Me - New York, New York

A nything from the sea and beyond Q uestions about seafood? Just ask U ni? Caviar? Catch 'em all! A lways friendly, always knowledgeable B est to come weekdays in the mornings E commerce is also available S teve, you're da man T hank you for your hard work @thedogtrine read more

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Great fish at a reasonable price. Aqua Best delivers to many top notch restaurants. Learned the difference between wet and dry scallops.

Great selection of good quality fish. Live lobster. Great service and friendly staff. The place was clean and didn't smell fishy.

Awesome place to get seafood! We started getting our oysters here last year and they're so worth and super delicious. They have different types available and they also have a variety of other seafood. I've also gotten Maine Uni from here a couple times and each time was delicious and plump. Prices are reasonable for Uni! The last box of Uni we got was $28. Will definitely be back for more oysters and Uni! Will be trying lobsters next time as I see a lot of people buying lobsters! read more

The BEST place to get fresh seafood. You can order online for delivery or go to their shop and pick what you want. They have fresh lobsters and fish in tanks, lovely fresh shellfish marked by where its from, great selection of things you won't normally find at a whole foods- geoduck, razor clams, sea urchin etc. I've gotten fresh blue crabs from here- delicious steamed with crab seasoning. Fresh lobsters and fish can be cleaned on the spot. Prices are super reasonable. read more

The fish and seafood are so fresh their Chi has not completely left their bodies. Thank the fish for the nourishment they offer you and absorb their essence into your body. The workers are attentive and knowledgeable. The owner very friendly. The place appropriately energetic--not chaotic but lots of customers. Very reasonable prices. Since finding Aqua Best, I purchase weekly and CANNOT, WILL NOT buy fish at a supermarket again! Also, get adventurous and try some new, freaky looking items on ice or alive and swimming in the tanks! read more

Here is my haiku review: If you still buy fish from Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, there is a problem. Bonus: Haiku 101 if any of y'all JSTOR nerds are gatekeeping the structure: https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/rules-for-writing-haiku.html read more

Every time I come past, these guys are cleaning it. Not to say I'd eat off their floors before I'd eat off my own- but yes. Very definitely saying that. Of a fish market in Chinatown. Stopped by today for my birthday meal- got 4 big lobsters (1.5lb) and two Maine uni for about $90, which, I'm calling a definite win. Are they the absolute cheapest for which you can get all fish? I mean maybe not? But cheaper than regular NYC retail for any of it, and god only knows how much I would have spent for these at a restaurant. Now we have dinner for 2 days, tails and lobster rolls! I've stopped by many times over the years for "deluxe" seafood (read: shellfish and crustaceans) and have never once been disappointed. read more

Aqua Best - Clam and oyster selection today, all with their provenance tags displayed. - Seafood Markets Near Me - New York, New York

Absolutely the best quality seafood market down in chinatown. Always have reasonable prices for fresh fish and shellfish. I go at least 1-2 month to pick up clams and snow crab. They fishmonger is always knowledgeable and staff extremely helpful. Prices are reasonable. Definitely stop by and treat yourself! read more

Aqua Best must be the best fish store in NYC. Freshest of the fresh. Prepared (not cooked) for you any way you want. Great cooking tips. Super knowledgeable. Courteous. Huge selection. Now that I've discovered them, I never shop any where else. read more

The only (which is really sad) place I could find reasonable prices soft shell crabs. They have everything l! Owner is very nice as well! read more

These guys have the best service and some of the best prices. I bought some lobsters that were not good and returned them and they gladly replaced them with better quality even though it was more money they called it even. Steve the owner and most of the employees speak very good English and made the transaction seamless. Seldom do you find A business that cares about customer satisfaction in china town. read more

I've been coming for years, great fresh seafood, knowledgeable staff, and comparatively affordable. If you want to impress yourself or guests with a fancy seafood plateau, a wide variety is available here. read more

One of the Chinatown fish markets. Cheap price but inconsistent quality and an indifferent/often arrogant counter person. I went there because it is getting fresh seafood from the U.S. fishers, according to their website. Also it is a mom-and-pop shop with generations. NOPE. Not true. They are selling products of China, which do not even have expiration dates. read more

BEST. SEAFOOD. MONGER. In the city and beyond. Hands down. We have tried every other place in Chinatown, the markets in bronx and long island. Just no. Aqua Best is the only one that consistently delivers on quality and price. We have been coming here well over 5 years, so I feel comfortable recommending. When I drive to my parents to DC, we always bring them crabs and lobsters from here. If you're throwing a party, come here to get your restaurant quality seafood. *edited - we buy fresh seafood here. Crabs, lobsters, shrimp, crawfish, fish. All have been outstanding over 50 plus times we bought here. read more

The best quality fish, hands down. The guys here are fair priced, and the knowledge they possess is vast. Salmon, shrimp, and tuna, there's no better place! read more

My daughter was having her "virtual graduation from college" and all she wanted for dinner was crab legs. There was an issue with the delivery, and they went above and beyond in fixing it. Not only did the hire an Uber driver on their dime, but they wrote a sweet congratulations note on the box! And of course the crab were AMAZING! We've ordered from them before without issue and will DEFINITELY order from the again. read more

Loved my experience! Great selection of seafood, thoughtful customer service, can't recommend enough. Love supporting a family owned biz too

In my 20yrs of living in the city, this is easily the best fish market that I have encountered. The inventory is well selected and brought in fresh daily. The proprietors clearly care a lot about the fish they are selling and are very knowledgeable about its sourcing. They are also very kind and engaging. Highly recommended. read more

I passed by the other day and saw a sign saying it was National Lobster week. I was planning on buying some groceries to celebrate Father's day and realized that Lobsters might be a good idea for dinner considering the fact that my father LOVES lobsters. I proceeded to discovered that they happened to be the very store selling Fourchu lobsters from Nova Scotia. A little intrigued I questioned about them and found out that these lobsters are found in the coldest waters in Nova Scotia and that their meat was sweeter than regular Maine Lobsters. I bought some Fourchu lobsters along with shrimp and king crab legs. They were fresh and absolutely delicious. You have to go and try some yourself. I also saw that they had a large selection of seafood. This is definitely a place I will come back to. read more

Aqua Best - Seafood Markets Near Me - New York, New York

I ordered a couple of times for lobster, crabs and other seafood. The price was reasonable since the quality was superb! Above all it can be delivered at your doorstep on time. Kudos to you Aqua best.....! read more

One of the best fresh seafood purveyors in all of NYC. Great prices on lobsters (from both US and Canada) as well as lots of other seafood specialties. If you need something special and you can't find it here, you won't find it anywhere. Don't let the water on the ground and bustling of the store turn you off, highest quality seafood in NYC. read more

Ordered trout, steamers, shrimp. After 2 months of basic quarantine groceries, thought I'd treat myself, and it was worth it! Steamers were all good, the fresh trout was great, and the shrimp were huge and delicious. Everything came well-packed and still ice cold. Highly recommended! read more

Probably the nastiest quality fish I have ever eaten. It looked and smelled very weird when I was there. I asked several times to make sure "is this fresh from today?" And he said yes. Impossible. I've never eaten something so vile read more

Freshest seafood in town! I ordered two 1.5 pound lobsters and a pound of scallops and Aqua Best did not disappoint. All of the seafood tasted incredible and so fresh. The prices were well below what you would pay in a restaurant and they deliver to your door. Would definitely recommend! read more

Aqua Best - Scallops - Seafood Markets Near Me - New York, New York

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Great selection and super helpful staff! I called ahead to make sure they had what I was looking for, and when I got there was in and out in under 5 minutes. Truly the best! read more