FOOD They have a wide variety of fresh seafood, with salmon and uni being among their most popular options. We personally had these two, and they were incredibly light and fresh. We also got a side of rice and seaweed, but you can bring your own as well. Complimentary soy sauce, wasabi, microwaves to heat the rice, and more are available on the second floor lunch rooms. DRINKS They have complimentary green tea/barley tea available on the second floor in the lunchrooms. They also have drinks for purchase. SERVICE The staff are kind and friendly! They have the menus in both English and Japanese. PARKING Ample parking is available in the lots nearby. Most cost by the hour. BATHROOMS Several bathrooms (Japanese-style with bidets!) are available on the second floor by the lunch rooms and down the hall. read more

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This place is truly an experience. The first thing you'll notice is the fishy smell when you walk along the dock, but don't let that discourage you. It eventually dissipates once you get inside and further on the dock. There was plenty of signage, so it was easy to find where to go. The seafood is incredibly fresh and offered at amazing prices. You place your order downstairs, then head upstairs to a simple break room-style dining area to enjoy your meal. It's completely self-service, but I actually loved the concept. Guests bus their own tables, wash their dishes, and help keep the space clean, which adds to the unique charm. They also provide complimentary tea and water, and there are microwaves available if you want to warm up your rice. If you're looking for a no-frills spot with fresh seafood and great value, this is definitely worth the visit. read more

ISF Trading - Sashimi set, nori, rice, ginger, spicy octopus (wasabi based) - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

6/24/26 A mixed experience- the counter was busy even at 11, with tourists who couldn't decide. As a result the uni I received was swimming in brine; I would have preferred the straight-up uni I had before. I got two vegetarian dishes- both were disappointing: the seaweed salad was crunchy, flavorless and the Maine seaweed in vinegar was slimy and otherwise flavorless. I ordered these for Steff- I'm afraid she and other vegetarians would be disappointed. The whole dish of salmon roe on the other hand was fantastic- I was careful not to leave a single egg- so fresh, so sweet- better than the Osetra and Beluga caviar I have had in Manhattan. Robert Deniro, whose diet I have read about consists mainly of caviar, would love this. It would take little effort to come up with more vegetarian dishes. read more

ISF Trading - Salmon roe, uni in brine, shashimi plate, and in the rear, soy sauce, seaweed salad, Maine seaweed in vinegar - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Pros: Fresh fish, free parking, authentic feel. Cons: Kind of expensive? $22 for sashimi set, ginger, microwave rice, and nori (seaweed wrap). Usually I'd walk, but I came straight from work so I parked here. It's awesome that they even have free parking unlike many places in Portland. You walk in through door 5, turn right before the stairs. It's no frills. You can order different types of fish, or the sashimi set, plus a couple of add-ons to make your own "sushi." Once you pay, head upstairs to the staff cafeteria (third door on the right). You can use their microwaves to heat up your rice, grab sauces, rice seasonings, etc. There are some bench tables to sit at and enjoy. I am so glad I got to experience this-it was delicious! That being said, I would probably just buy my fish here and take it home next time to roll up my sushi and make it more beautiful. If you are expecting a restaurant with sushi offerings like Yosaku, do NOT be mistaken. This is a fish trading business that happens to sell some DIY lunch items. Still delicious, just come in with the expectation that they are selling and packaging fish, it smells fishy, it is a workplace. read more

ISF Trading - Sashimi set + rice + nori + pickled ginger! - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Wanted to love this because of all the hype but I won't be back. You can tell the fish is really good quality but the prices are still high for what you get and you have to make everything yourself if you want to make a roll or anything. If you just want raw fish then this might be the place. It is def about the experience. You are eating in their break room. Handmade signs to get to the spot. You have to wash your own dishes and build your rolls. It def smells fishy and is an interesting spot. It was cool to try once but I doubt I'll be back. read more

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When a friend recommended this place, I didn't believe it was real. When I pulled into the industrial yard I still wasn't sure. When I saw signed directing you to Door #5 I thought it might be a practical joke. But when I got some delicious, super fresh sea urchin from the first floor, then went upstairs to the workers' cafeteria to microwave the rice and make my own (poorly assembled) rolls, I was so happy about my friend's rec. This no frills family-run operation is such a unique way to get ultra fresh seafood for a nice sushi lunch. If you can make it when they're open, and you like good seafood, come check it out! read more

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Super cool place! My friends and I heard about ISF Trading from Instagram and we had to see if we liked uni! We got a small uni tray, a sashimi set, rice, nori, and seaweed salad. It was very affordable and a nice lunch for the three of us! We took the food up to the break room and had bowls, wasabi, sushi vinegar, soy sauce, and tea there. There was a bit of a line to wash our dishes here but otherwise it was a super quick experience considering we went at noon on a Saturday! This was an incredible chance to try uni at a low cost and turns out that all three of us do like it! We're going to incorporate it into our sushi rotation! read more

ISF Trading - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

ISF Trading is technically a seafood market, but they do sell ready to eat raw fish at a counter that you can eat in their employee cafeteria! I think this is a must-visit when in Portland if you love raw seafood, as you can get really high quality product at a very reasonable price. As you might imagine, ISF Trading is housed in a warehouse, with some on site parking. It may not be as clearly marked as a regular restaurant but there is plenty of signage at each step of the process so just keep aware of your surroundings and you're unlikely to get lost. Once you find your way to the order counter, items and prices are marked clearly on the wall behind the counter, you place your order with one of the employees there, pay, and pick up your purchase pretty quickly. Then, you follow the signs upstairs to the employee cafeteria, where you can help yourself to utensils, cups of hot barley tea, and your condiments. That is also where you can heat up the rice that you purchase downstairs. We visited on a Saturday in the mid afternoon and there was plenty of picnic bench style seating. We had the mid fatty tuna ($50), the sashimi set ($15 for 100g of fish, which included salmon, squid, scallop, lean tuna, and salmon roe), and uni ($28 for 130g on wooden tray), as well as two things of rice and two packages of nori. That was perfect for three people for a light lunch, and every single piece was incredible. My favorites were the uni, the mid fatty tuna, and the scallop. The uni completely disintegrated in my mouth and had the most delicate sweet flavor. The fatty tuna was the perfect texture and so fresh, perfect either on its own or wrapped with some rice in nori. The scallop was so tender and sweet. Since it is an employee cafeteria, you need to make sure you put everything away after you use it, and clean up after yourself, which may include washing some dishes. It's a unique experience that allows you to taste some incredible seafood at an unusually affordable price, and I would recommend this to anyone coming through the area. read more

What a neat spot! Had a delicious lunch at a great price. Quality was wonderful. Hoping to come back and try different things they offer. read more

ISF Trading - Sashimi Set - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Fascinating spot on the wharf. I went when my kids were in town visiting for Mothers Day. They all absolutely LOVE this place, especially the Uni. We got a big sampling of fish to share, I LOVED the big order of scallop sashimi! The cafeteria upstairs was actually quite nice and included tea, cold water and coffee. Also, not to be too TMI but in the upstairs restroom was a heated bidet toilet. read more

ISF Trading was one of the places that I looked forward to most during our Portland trip. Here's the thing - it's ultimately a warehouse with some seating in their staff lunchroom to enjoy your purchases, but it's super no frills. Don't expect table service or anything glamorous. The uni prices & freshness though are UNMATCHED. A tray of uni for $28 is a crazy deal; prices are even better for a POUND of broken uni. They source from different places depending on the season. March seems to be the last of Maine uni season; we had New Brunswick uni in April. I'd skip the sashimi sets - it was underwhelming for $15 each. The squid, salmon, and ikura were fine; tuna was a bit fishy. Scallops are usually my favorite, but they were just okay here. The uni is excellent. Insant rice & miso soup are available for purchase for $3 each. The staff canteen has sushi vinegar & all the fixings. Parking is available outside. read more

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Eating at an employee cafeteria was a surprising turn of events for my trip to Portland, but a most welcome surprise! The fish quality is sooo good and the salmon set had so much fish in it. I was so full at the end but I wanted to keep eating. The squid and scallop are both incredibly soft and flavorful. Each bite blew my mind! I had soo much difficulty locating where the entrance was and where we could buy food (although that is mostly due to my poor sense of direction). But the place to purchase is right when you enter, the door to your right. You then walk up the stairs and turn into the cafeteria. read more

ISF Trading - Sashimi set, salmon, nori, and rice - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

If you're someone that enjoys uni, ISF is a must-visit when in Portland. They process the sea urchin by hand daily every morning and the freshness of the uni really comes through. Good quality uni is not always easy to find, even at fine dining restaurants, but every single piece of uni I had here the past two months has been excellent. Cost of a box of uni as of 1/3/26: $20 (80 grams); $30 (150 grams). Get the $30 box. Much better value and double the happiness. Tip: Plan your visit here for the winter months. Prime uni season! One item i'd skip here is their tuna toro belly. This was quite fishy and disappointing. Parking: Private lot (free) read more

ISF Trading - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

This place is worth the trip. Been seeing posts on social media so I was skeptical to see if it lived up to the praise and it did. The employees were helpful with answering any questions you have about their expansive menu. The ready to eat menu is smaller but still has a good variety of things. I was only with 1 other person so we didn't get to order too many things but we were impressed with what we did try. We got the sashimi plate that comes with 4 different kinds of seafood. All were so fresh. I typically like salmon but this tuna had a subtle sweetness to it that I haven't had before. The scallops were also a hit. Next we got the sweet shrimp that I've seen multiple people get but this one wasn't as impressive. They were still slightly frozen and didn't have the same flavor impact. These, I just learned, are available in Asian supermarkets so it's not an exclusive deal. The star of the show is their uni. They are one of the company that process Maine uni so what you're getting is the freshest of the fresh. We ordered a box of 100g for 2 people and that was plenty. I also bought a box of broken uni that has been amazing to cook with (even though you can eat the fresh too). We bought a few other items to bring home and the prices were very reasonable. I would recommend anyone who loves fresh seafood to try this spot out. read more

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Decided to come here while visiting Portland. Such a great experience. Everything is super fresh and the atmosphere is super casual. The quality is top tier from such an unassuming place. I will be coming back when I'm in Portland again. read more

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I had bookmarked ISF Trading two years ago - since then, the spot has definitely blown up. It's an extremely no-frills, hole-in-the-wall joint boasting fresh seafood at reasonable prices. Between the two of us, it was about $100 for two sashimi sets, a whole tray of uni, a container of spicy squid, two packets of rice, two farm eggs, and one packet of nori. I think ... that's pretty good? Some of the cuts of sashimi were a little haphazard and inconsistent in care or quality but I suppose for that price, I wasn't expecting more. They have a large menu up but I got decision fatigue and just went with the smaller list under the ready-to-eat section. There's a cafeteria upstairs with picnic tables and bathrooms that's clean and homey. The ginger is extra but I found the cafeteria very well-stocked with free barley tea and water, utensils, soy sauce, tubes of wasabi, and even bowls for your rice and soy sauce and microwaves for heating up the rice. You turn into the wharf, drive past the gate, and keep to the parking lot on your left. Look for the signs and the door marked #5. read more

ISF Trading - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Our group arrived at around 1 on a weekend, and unfortunately they've already sold out of uni. We got a variety of sashimi to share, and brought it to the "canteen" / dine-in area on the second floor. It was self-service style with microwave, sushi vinegar, soy sauce, hot tea, coffee available. All for free! ＊Recs: Salmon, Squid, Scallop Very fatty salmon!! 100% a must get. The squid surprised us in the best way possible as it was bouncy and fresh. Scallop was another standout. I wished we got a whole plate of scallop sashimi. Must order rice as a side and mix it with vinegar--honestly a game changer. It waz like making your own chirashi bowl. ＊Skip: Sashimi Set, Shrimp The sashimi in the sashimi set just didn't taste as fresh. The tuna was underwhelming, just like the frozen ones you could get at grocery stores. Ikura was great but you only got a few. Not worth it. Shrimp was the biggest disappointment. It was served FROZEN. We waited a bit for it to defrost, yet the shrimp texture was bad. It also wasn't as meaty as I thought. The shrimp was super small in size. FYI we spent around $90 total. This spread is enough to feed a group of four with rice. read more

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As much as I want to gatekeep this place, I can't because everyone needs to try it! Hidden on the port, you won't find this place unless you're looking for it. It looks like a packaging facility, but they also have sashimi that you can buy and eat. My friends and I shared 2 sashimi sets, an uni platter, a scallop platter, and a shrimp platter. All of it was amazing and so fresh! I typically don't like squid for the texture, but here, it was softer that I expected and creamy. My favorites were the scallop, salmon, and uni. If you have ice packs, bring some back with you to eat at home! If you want to eat there, there's a lunch room upstairs where they have soy sauce, wasabi, rice vinegar, and tea! What a great experience and even better food! read more

ISF Trading - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

We ate seafood from this place 3 days in a row and would still go back. No frills, ordered some rice and seaweed, friendly and patient employee when we were there trying to figure it out, soy sauce and tea upstairs (they didn't sell beer or sake - and sorry I didn't ask if it was okay to bring your own). read more

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Who would've known a gem like this was shrouded in the industrial area right by the wharf? It's my kind of place: no frills, no heavy marketing, just fresh seafood and a spot to eat. You have to order a side of rice (and/or seaweed) along with whatever sashimi of your choosing. I opted for the uni in the wooden box. To my surprise and delight, the upstairs cafeteria was pleasantly clean. The uni was SO GOOD. Creamy, satisfying, and fresh as it can get. I could've gone for another round. This is a must-go-to for any seafood lover. read more

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For the most part, the seafood is very fresh. The sweet shrimp is from Canada. They help pack take away nicely. The prices are so so, pending what u order. The sashimi set was small and 15 dollars They have a 3.5% convenience fee. The rice is microwave rice. read more

I rarely have had a good piece of uni so I avoid ordering it. But not here, like what other diners have said this is the freshest uni you'll get - almost right out of the sea. Soooo good,- creamy,buttery and melt in your mouth. Our first time here and didn't know what to expect. We got the sashimi starter kit a tray of uni and salmon. This was plenty. Fun working cafeteria. Will be back! read more

A super fun experience. You buy sashimi downstairs and then take it upstairs to the break room to eat. Everything was super clean and fresh, and there was even free coffee and tea for customers to use. read more

ISF Trading - Signs marking the entrance - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Best hidden gem in Maine. The uni is fresh and delicious. Not much more to say about this place. We try to come here every chance we get. read more

ISF Trading - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

This was pretty awesome. Freshest sushi I've ever had. We loved the experience!!!!!!!

Came here for some Uni. Uni tastes so fresh here and sea salty. Ordered the broken uni. They have the common dining area upstairs and order and pay down stairs at the warehouse. We always come back whenever we're in the area. Highly recommend to all uni lovers nearby! read more

ISF Trading - Menu - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

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When there are more non English speaking Asians than English speaking whites coming to this back door sashimi place, you know you're in for a treat. Had a whole tray of fresh uni to myself. They graciously allow you to make use of the workers lunchroom to sit and eat. Otherwise you take it somewhere for an impromptu picnic. read more

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This is really a warehouse that also offers the fixings for you to assemble your own sushi or poke bowl. The fish is fresh and reasonably priced although at first it looked like a small portion. I brought the salmon/tuna/scallop/squid home and cooked and seasoned the sushi rice, added wasabi to my taste and wrapped each bite of rice and fish with nori, A sprinkle of furikake was fun and sometimes a squeeze of lemon slice enhances some of my meal. As others have mentioned the upstairs is available for customers and employees to eat their lunch there. You will find soy sauce and tubes of wasabi available there. read more

The staff were so sweet and friendly. Uni and assorted raw fish platter were very fresh- you can buy a little microwaveable rice for $3 and a box of seaweed for $1 to eat with the fish. The upstairs has a cafeteria with free tea and water, utensils, napkins, sinks, hand sanitizer, paper towels, soy sauce, chop sticks, microwaves and tons of seating. It is not fancy but it's very nice they have that area supplied with whatever you need. It's also dog friendly! read more

ISF Trading - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Amazing place for uni! Ordered a bunch of stuff to try and if we come back we would only order the following: - Uni - sweet shrimp - scallops The sashimi set was not worth it in our opinion. They also had seaweed and rice that you could purchase to go with your seafood (we had brought our own, as we knew that's what our kids would be eating). Once you get your food, you can go upstairs to the employee eating area to eat your food. It's very clean and nice. The seafood food was so fresh and good! read more

The hype is a bit unwarranted if you don't know what you're expecting. After reading the reviews knowing going in about the sashimi platter being haphazardly sliced I think is key. For $24, I would say there was a decent amount of fish- 6ish pieces of salmon, tuna, 3 scallops, 2-3 squid and a small tablespoon scoop of ikura. So about 18 pieces of seafood is a great price. Got the small uni for $15. It was a nice little snack, or if you got the rice and nori could have made a full meal out of it. I wouldn't bring out of towners to this- but a hankering for sashimi on a budget? Yeah. Luckily there was a bit more signage when we went, it's far down an alley. read more

Honestly, when my friend first brought me here, I was kind of skeptical. But I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fish. The price was reasonable and while the cuts of sashimi were quite messy, I wasn't too bothered by it. They have a cute little upstairs dining area where they have everything you'd need, including complimentary tea and water. read more

ISF Trading - Sashimi platter! - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

I came here at noon on a Monday. Then again on Tuesday. Then again on Wednesday. Kidding about Wednesday but in all seriousness, I did go two days in a row for fabulously reasonably priced raw seafood at near wholesale prices (because it really is a wholesale place). Atmosphere: Zero fancy things about this place. It's on the pier and smells like fish. The decor is non-existent. You're eating with the workers of the place in their worker break room hah Service: Helpful staff though their English and question-answering abilities were slightly limited. Parking: Paid street parking that is a bit difficult to get on the main road there. Directions to the place are hand-written photos, and they did their best to help direct people to the right place, but it's still pretty difficult to find TBH I gave it 4 stars completely because of the food. Everything else is neutral or slightly negative for the eating experience, so I could not give it 5 stars, but at this price point and quality of fish, I will DEFINITELY be back! read more

ISF Trading - Directions. "#5 door" - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

I almost don't want to review this place and keep it all to myself, but the world deserves to know how amazing ISF is. It's no frills and you basically choose your fresh seafood, they prepare it for you, and you bring in to their self serve cafeteria area. Prices are kept low bc you serve yourself and even wash your own dishes. I love the concept! The uni was some of the best I've ever had. We engorged ourselves with uni and it was so cheap! I can't wait to go back. read more

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Yum! A no frills fish market where they sell sashimi for good value. We got the sashimi set and the salmon set for $28 each. We also got 1 instant rice and 1 pack of roasted seaweed. You buy the fish downstairs and then go upstairs to the employee lunch room to eat it. The lunch room was big and there was plenty of seating. After you eat, you bus your own table and wash the little dishes for soy sauce they give you at the communal sink. We went 20 minutes after opening on a Sunday and the uni was already all sold out. Seems like a very popular place with bott locals and tourists. I loved my experience here and can't wait to go back! read more

One of my favorite spot to get fresh sashimi and uni. Everyone here is so nice and helpful! They even have a lunchroom for you to enjoy read more

ISF Trading - Wholesalers Near Me - Portland, Maine

Look, it's a fun, quirky experience. The fish is fresh and cold. The staff is so kind and friendly. I love going there both alone and taking my out of town friends. I got the 15g of uni, rice, seaweed, & sashimi with a friend & it was a nice little lunch. read more

Holy moly, what a hidden gem. $24 for a sashimi platter and $26 for salmon sashimi was excellent. Cheaper than anything we could find in Boston. Fish tasted tender and fresh. The dining area is really nice. Tons of seating and all the amenities. You have to clean up your own table afterwards. The staff are very nice. I think an owner or manager came to talk to us and ask us how the food was. read more

Was in Portland for the day and was craving sushi and upon a quick Yelp search, I landed upon ISF Trading--and realized it's actually been on my list since it went viral last year! The hype has since gone down a bit, but I think this mom-and-pop type seafood wholesale fish market is worth the trip and should be on your list too. It's unlike any other dining experience. No frills, as you are literally sharing your dining space with the rest of the building at their lunch break room upstairs. In terms of parking and finding your way to the warehouse, after putting in its address, handwritten signs are pointing your way to the fish market. For parking, there seemed to be some people parked right in front of the entrance, but we were unsure of where to park at the time, so we just found street parking. Once you enter through the door #5 that's marked, it is the very first door on the right, and it will very much look like a wholesale seafood warehouse, with styrofoam boxes, fishy-smelling water on the floor, and pier machinery. When you get to the counter, the people who run the place know enough English for you to order from the QR code, which brings you to their online menu. We got there at 1:30pm on a Sunday (opened 12-4pm), and the salmon sashimi set was already sold out! We didn't see the sign when we ordered until it was too late, but there is a sign for a cash discount (3.5% off). They accept credit cards! Up the stairs at the staff break room, there were easily signs leading up to the break room. There are a few microwaves, which we used to microwave our 2-minute instant white rice. There are a few condiments on the table, including soy sauce, rice vinegar, wasabi, and others, along with iced barley tea, which tasted fairly strong. Everything is self-serve, and after you are done eating, you clean and spray the table once you're done. If you used a sauce container, you'll be the one washing your own dishes too. Overall, we had a great experience! Very much a hole-in-the-wall, no frills meal where you are just there for the food and company! I loved how they had rice, nori, and sushi vinegar, so it was very customizable to one's taste, so I basically just made mini handrolls and nigiri for myself as I ate. It was my first time eating raw squid, and the salmon and tuna were great. The fish roe was a little too fishy and was the only thing that didn't quite taste as fresh, but other than that, I'd recommend this spot to others whenever they're in town! What we ordered: - sashimi set (raw salmon, tuna, scallop, squid, fish roe) $26? - seaweed salad $3 - microwavable rice $3 - nori packet $1 read more

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I apologize in advance for bursting any bubbles... this place lived in social media hype land for me for at least a year. I was so excited to go! This is my dream place! In reality, super disappointing. Giving it a star for hole in the wall appeal, but the food just wasn't very good. The famed sashimi platter is $26 and comes with tuna, salmon, scallop, ikura. It was small, quality was lower to mid, and we had a bite that was still frozen. The slices of fish were messily cut. We are locals who have made sushi and dons from fish markets all over the area, and Harbor Fish is our gold standard. For $26, you could get double the seafood and have it be fresher and higher quality just slicing yourself. For example, they're selling picked lobster meat for $70/lb but it goes for $55-60/lb at local markets fresh. Or, just go to Yosaku and get the sashimi lunch for $22 and it'll be more fish and higher quality. Or go all out for a chirashi bowl for $40 that'll be nicer in . Again, seriously loved the concept from the videos online but the quality to price ratio just doesn't deliver. I imagine the Uni is lovely, that does seem to be their specialty. read more