After a fun day in Seattle, but not being able to find a place to eat without paying $35 to park or find a table (for a late lunch), I remembered that some friends of ours took us to an amazing seafood place in Tacoma right next to the water...but hidden away from all the large and corporate-type restaurants on Rustin Way. I couldn't remember the name of the place, but we found it: The Fish Peddler! We must have arrived at a perfect interval because there was a table for two that had just been bussed and ready for us near the large counter in the back where food was collected by servers and presented to hungry patrons at any of the 30-40 tables. Our server was genuinely warm and delightful and guided us to the menu and the on-line beer on tap information. Drinks were ordered and delivered in minutes - just enough time for us to announce our selections: A 3-piece halibut and chips for her, and for me, the albacore tuna with spring greens and gouda cheese on sourdough with a pint of I'm Not Afraid Of Music. It had the lowest alcohol content, and since I was driving, didn't want to push my luck. When our huge white dinner plates arrived - oh - did I mention the amazing jalapeño coleslaw? - we were amazed at the size of the perfectly deep fried halibut - which, on their own, provide a good bite, making only a smitten of tartar sauce necessary because you gotta have tartar sauce with fried fish, after all, right? I picked up one my sandwich haves and removed the toothpick with too much gusto and suffered a small splinter that I couldn't remove until I got home a couple of hours later with the help of a magnifying glass, a tweezer and some masking tape. But I ignored the splinter while I enjoyed my "this is NOT your mom's - or HER mom's - Tuna melt". The perfect balance of the albacore spread with the gouda showing up gloriously in almost every bite, the pillowy and cool greens and tomato slice that balanced the heat from the albacore between the two lightly toasted sourdough was my Valentine's Day gift to my mouth. We were stuffed, but not defeated - we ordered our cheesecake to go, and I get to have the last piece of halibut for a snack later on! It was great getting re-acquainted with This cozy, fun, busy restaurant since our last (and first) visit 3 years ago. My only regret is that for some unknown but surely inexcusable reason, I had waited three years before returning. Won't happen again. read more

We came here for a business lunch on the recommendation of a friend who lives locally. On a beautiful day you can sit outside and enjoy the water. This is a casual place, but the food is quality. We got the fish and chips, which were perfectly crispy. The black cod miso was superb. Very fresh and light and flaky and flavorful. We also got the lobster roll. It definitely rivals a lobster roll from the east coast. The service was great. They took care of everything well. This isn't fancy, but it's just a good seafood place for friends, business or families. read more

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Bang bang shrimp- shrimp is so good and tasty Oysters- so fresh Truth be told sauv blanc '22- best white wine to pair with the oysters Can't wait to come back! read more

The Fish Peddler - Bang bang shrimp, oysters, truth be told sauv blanc'22 - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

The ambience was great and service was good. We started with the calamari which was good. I ordered the fish and chips which wasn't anything spectacular but the salmon sandwich was delicious!! read more

The Fish Peddler - Salmon burger with bacon - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

My broad loves seafood and I had been wanting to try this place, and I'm glad we did! Sweet location near the water in downtown T-Town. I had the Cioppino and she had the Steamed Mussels. Both were great, the tomato broth in the Cioppino was particularly fantastic. I will be back I'm sure! read more

The Fish Peddler - Cioppino! - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

They were very accommodating and allowed us to sit with a group of 11 without prior notice. The clam chowder was good and their cocktails were all great! The service was adequate and I'd go back for the views. read more

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The new menu is good We loved the mussels and shared the halibut & chips, which were very tasty (needed a touch more salt) but so great to sit outside and have a view! I do think the new menu is a game changer and we will back for sure. Absolutely recommend to give it a try!!! Thank you Kat for your amazing service- appreciate you!!! read more

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My Sagittarius sisters brought me here to celebrate my birthday, and it was such a great choice. I don't know if it was the timing or the terrible weather outside, but there was literally no wait. We walked right in and were seated immediately, which was honestly amazing. One of my friends ordered the Dungeness crab and shrimp Louie salad, and it looked really good. She said it was delicious and the portion size was generous. I was really craving soup, so I went with the blackened salmon BLT and a cup of chowder. The chowder was so good. The salmon was tasty too -- it did have a slightly fishy taste, but nothing that ruined it for me. Another friend ordered the cioppino, which is more of a stew, and it was really good. She let all of us try it, and it had a great flavor and a nice-sized portion. What really stood out was that it wasn't cream-based, which was perfect because she has a pretty extreme lactose intolerance. It's not always easy for her to find menu options like that, so this was a really nice surprise. Overall, the food, service, and experience were great, and it made for an awesome birthday dinner. I'd definitely come back again. read more

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Was staying nearby for a concert for the weekend and this place was so solid, I took my friends and went a second time the next day lol Between the two visits, I tried - clam chowder - super solid, got this two days in a row lol - salad + grilled chicken - tasted fine I just needed some vegetables - green bean tempura - the half order was so big and the green beans were actually pretty good - nachos - also surprisingly large portion, decent - lobster Mac and cheese - nice and creamy, would eat again Servers were friendly, space is large. It's right by the water so it's nice to walk along the water for a digestion walk afterwards! read more

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Forgot to take picture of the food as we took our food to go, but we got mac & cheese and clam chowder and would have to say the service was good even though I did call in the order he denied to make it in advance even though I told him I was less than five minutes away, but the food was amazing ambience a little cold and clammy in there not too intimate, but customer service was great ambience. It's a great if you want the view, but the staff was friendly. I just wish that the manager would have made my order to go so I wouldn't have had to come in and wait. read more

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Wow! This place is run with precision. The food was great. The ambiance was fun. I had the seafood nachos. While I'm not sure I would choose those again I'm totally convinced they have amazing food. The service was terrific. I can't wait to stop in again. read more

How can you go wrong sitting on the patio overlooking the bay on a perfect evening! This spot is a Gem for sure! Food is Amazing! Service is Amazing! Prices are nominal and the freshness was outstanding. read more

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I've been here a number of times. I have purchased some very nice fresh fish and crab, but have also walked away empty handed when supply was out. I think they fish themselves, and perhaps purchase from other fishing vessels (?) The prices reflect what you buy. I bought some sushi grade tuna and was not disappointed. It's a small hole in the wall shop with generous parking. The people are always friendly and helpful. read more

The food was so yummy. I really enjoyed the heartiness of the stew. My son enjoyed his fish and chips. The service was good, no complaints. The restaurant itself is cozy and quaint, a smaller feel that reminds me of mom and pop places back home in RI. read more

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Drinks & Food are pricey, but delicious. Service was relaxed and professional. Sat outside and watched the boats sail by. - Spicy mango margaritas -A - Calamari-A (really fresh, soft, perfectly cooked) - Seafood medley with Artichokes dip with fresh warm loaf.- A -Catfish special with veggies & mashed potatoes. -A -Shrimp & crab Louie salad -B Total $150 before tip. All in the food was delicious and the service was attentive. Highly recommend. Only negative... when arrived with over half the restaurant empty... they play a game of we can't seat you yet. Put on wait list 10-15 min, suggesting go to the bar and have drinks. We were a party of two but only 1 chair and not a comfortable situation. This was very irritating. We came in from a long drive, just wanted to sit down & eat dinner. We did later order a drink, and it was very tasty, but the extra milking on arrival was distasteful. Sharine read more

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Left off a star because the Mac and cheese wasn't so good and the cioppino was garnished with cilantro instead of parsley. Otherwise, the rest of our order was quite good and the service was attentive and kind. read more

The Fish Peddler - Cioppino - Cilantro on top why? - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Great service and location. Always order the Bloody Mary's with pepper vodka, sometimes with a crab claw sometimes not. Halibut Fish & Chips are a winner too. read more

The Fish Peddler - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

We were in the neighborhood and decided to try something new- this place did not disappoint! Great service- great food! My husband loved his smoked salmon fettuccine so much that he ranked it in his top 10 meals. I had the halibut and chips- so good! The calamari appetizer was so wonderful as well. We will definitely be back! read more

Service was fantastic-- but the food was meh! We liked the clam app, but the Buddha bowl tasted only of chili powder and the shrimp salad was so bland. read more

Great fish and chips, the atmosphere is even better. If you can go on a nice day and sit outside do it. The bartender Josh is awesome, not sure how they rate having him. Great peice of Tacoma history here used to come here when it was a fish market way back. read more

The Fish Peddler - The view - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

I'd give 4 stars for just my jumbo prawn parang curry dish but... the final score is 3 stars... 1) the cup of clam chowder was deemed MEH 2) then hubby took one bite of the Mac and cheese side and head had to try to doctor it up with salt and pepper. I tasted it before he seasoned it and it was bland. Yes it was "cheesy" but just no flavor. Very dairy like but flat. 3) his blackened fish (steelhead) came with veggies also and it was such a meager amount of bok choy, mushrooms and asparagus. Just underwhelming Service was fine. Parking is easy. Maybe it was just a bad Mac and cheese and low inventory on the veg kind of night. Low key - I was surprised the server didn't ask if there was something wrong with the Mac and cheese. Our plates were cleaned otherwise but she just asked if we were done and took the plate. I wanted to ask what the cheese was because maybe it would explain the bland flavor but we had to get going. I think I'd come back for the view - with good weather sit on the patio. A cold beer. And folks around us were ordering a lot of calamari and oysters so those were probably good. PLUS the panang curry was GOOD!!!! read more

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Visited when in town for work. Entire staff was amazing and gave great recommendations/super friendly. Fish tacos were swop from rock fish to steelhead and was not disappointed. Add this to your list in Tacoma. read more

What a pleasant surprise! We stumbled upon the Fish Peddler looking for another restaurant and decided to give it a try. I'm so glad we did. I had the halibut fish and chips. They won over this Alaskan! The fish was very well cooked and not greasy. The fries were great although slightly under seasoned. They needed salt. My dining partner ordered the lobster roll Maine style. It was exceptional. One of the best lobster rolls I've had in a long time with that style of preparation. He order clam chowder as a side and said it was phenomenal. The service was wonderful. Our waitress was super sweet, took time to explain the daily specials and answered any questions we had. We will definitely be back. read more

The Fish Peddler - Halibut Fish and Chips - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

We walked into get a table to eat lunch, there were several tables available. The hostess came up to us and said that there was a 30 minute wait, I looked around and there was no other people behind us to be seated, i said you have several open table, she then went on to say, well we don't want to overload the cooks, I looked at her like wha?? I said well we will go somewhere else, I guess you didn't want our business, what she should have done was her job!! Will never go there!! read more

My wife and I have made stopping at the Fish Peddler part of our routine when visiting the coast. I always get the oyster stew and she gets fried oysters or fish and a bowl of clam chowder. This time was no different, except that we ordered a Captain's platter to share between us. My oyster stew was delicious, as it always is. I couldn't help but notice though, that the oyster stew now contains half of the oysters it used to. After years of eating this stew, I knew I always got at least a dozen oysters in a bowl of stew. This time - only six. Yes, they were delicious! Still, it's sad to see the quantity of oysters go down with the price heading in the opposite direction. The Captain's platter was good, but we couldn't help but notice that the fish, oysters and shrimp all tasted alike, due we think to the same oil being used to fry all of them. So, it was okay, but we've had better. The oyster stew saved this review from being 3 stars. read more

We were looking for something casual and had fish and chips so decided on the Fish Peddler. I have been here before so kinda knew what to expect. The food was ok- fish had a lot of batter, the bread was good gor the seafood dip, and the salmon burger was good. But, nothing was overwhelmingly great. That is why I am rating it a 3. The ambiance was ok as well with simple set up, chairs and tables, and a bar that had multiple tvs. I would go again but not running back if you know what I mean. read more

The Fish Peddler - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Nothing fancy here but excellent service and food. Great view of the water. Our server was very friendly and patient with us. Everything sounded good, so it was hard to decide. We started with oysters, then we shared the fish and chips with a cup of chowder. The chowder was so flavorful with lots of clams and potatoes. Fish was perfectly cooked and tasted great. To finish off we ordered a slice of carrot cake to-go and shared it down by the water. End of a great meal. read more

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We have ate here every time we have been in Tacoma and it has not disappointed us. Restaurant is clean, staff is friendly and attentive, and the food is fresh and delicious!! I have ordered the special of the day each time, and it's always amazing. We enjoy sitting outside, but the inside is nice as well. Looking forward to future visits! read more

Fantastic Halibut and chips. Not greasy Great service with chill vibe. Has free no hastle parking too read more

The Fish Peddler - Halibut and chips. - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

When I'm on the west coast, great oysters are what I'm looking for. This place had them. When I'm further south, I always hit their shop near Tillamook for the same thing. Fresh, local, great creamy flavor. Yum. I believe the server said Port Orchard, but I'm not 100% sure. Fish tacos were fresh and were great with lime. Salsa was a bit flat for me, but it's not like it was the star of the show. Service was friendly and attentive, even when busy. I'll be back. read more

The Fish Peddler - Oysters - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Food/Drinks: Fish & chips-very good! Liked the haddock better than the cod. Jalapeño pineapple slaw did have a kick. Special-Fish Tacos- Very good, wish the server had mentioned that the green sauce was spicy as we would have gotten it o the side. Good salsa though and also good flavor to the shrimp! Clam Chowder-Good flavor Salad-nice size to share for a starter. Beer-Good selection Mai Tai-not good Mocktail with coconut cream-very delicious! Service-Large party that the service people took care of very well! Made sure drinks were refilled and that water glasses were not empty. Inside there is a bar area with bar seating and some high top tables and regular tables. Also large outdoor seating area. Main dining room that has a large area. Nice restaurant on the waterfront! read more

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Nice seaside view. Quiet for the time we went. Service was nice and helpful. Food was inventive yet traditional. We had the salmon blt and rock fish tacos, we both had the craziest clam chowder. Decent price and would return to explore the menu more. The tortillas were cold but eatable I like mine more shelled. But was yum read more

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The Fish Peddler is a nice restaurant that offers outside and inside seating. The outside is nice because you can enjoy the nice weather, see the water, and boats at the dock. Inside seating, you can enjoy the rustic decor, along with the kitchen, full bar, A/C, and multiple TVs. Shar T took care of us.The service was friendly, patient, funny, and helpful. Each table had a carafe of chilled still water. In addition to your condiments (malt vinegar, Tabasco, ketchup, salt & pepper). Clam Chowder (bowl). Rich, creamy, & thick. Loaded with chopped clams, bacon, red skinned potatoes, and herbs. It is very tasty, filling, and hearty. A good bowl of chowder. Hand Battered Fish and Chips: 4 piece Pacific Cod. E9 Brewing Rowdy & Dick Amber Ale Beer Batter Fries, Pineapple-Jalapeño Slaw, & Tarter Sauce (4/5). Crunchy batter, and the fish was nice and flakey. The cajun-seasoned fries were good. The slaw was good and a different take of your typical slaw. The house-made tarter sauce was full of Dill, mayo, maybe pickle juice - only guessing here. Come check them out as they have been around for a while! read more

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The number one thing about the Fish Peddler was the staff and the service. Our waitress was very kind and answered all of our questions about the menu very thoughtful and checked on us throughout our meal. The restaurant itself is cozy but can get a bit loud because of the open space. The chicken for the salad was grilled perfectly and the Connecticut Lobster Roll was warm and the toasted bread was delicious. read more

The Fish Peddler - Chicken Caesar Salad - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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The Steelhead Trout sandwich was amazing. I wish there were more "catch of the day" options, but other than that, it was very good. read more

The Fish Peddler - Steelhead Trout BLT. Excellent. Tastes fresh and was cooked perfect. - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Excellent!! Stopped in for lunch and a cider and this spot did not disappoint. Friendly bar tender who was attentive but also happy to let me sit, sip and read a book. read more

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Very nice place, the atmosphere was wonderful. The shrimp crab Louie salad and house made dressing was delicious. The calamari appetizer was crispy on the outside and tender in the inside (not chewy and rubbery). read more

The Fish Peddler - Calamari dish - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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Such delicious food. We ordered the Halibut and fries, lobster roll (Connecticut style), and of course 2 cups of clam chowder. Our waitress was incredibly friendly and provided us with fast service. She accidentally told us the wrong oysters of the day and gave us a free oyster for her mishap (we wouldn't have cared either way so it was so kind). The inside of the restaurant is small and cute. They have an open garage door and patio for the warmer months. The bar is open & the market price of everything is listed on the wall for your convenience. read more

The Fish Peddler - Lobster roll: Connecticut - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

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We stopped by here to eat since we were near the courthouse and had visited the museum of glass. We were warmly greeted and sat inside. Our waitress Alison was very friendly and attentive. The establishment was clean and had a lot of customers here. The kids ordered the kids meals off of the kids drawing menu. Mac and cheese and hamburgers. No complaints from the kids they enjoyed it. My wife got the fish tacos and I got the halibut fish and chips with a cup of chowder and we ordered 1/2 dozen oysters. We enjoyed everything. The chowder was not on the milky side but more seafood. The halibut was good I enjoy all 4 pieces and didn't want to eat the fries with it since I had ordered so much food. The drinks - I got a honey cucumber Arnold Palmer which was refreshing and my wife got this other drink with a mixture of fruit drinks which was great. We enjoyed the place. Enjoyed watching the Olympics there during our meal. One less star since when it did pick up it was hard to get our check and refills on drinks. read more

The Fish Peddler - Speciality drinks. Left one was the one with a mixture of fruit drinks. The one on the right is the honey cucumber Arnold Palmer. - Seafood Near Me - Tacoma, Washington

Read all the reviews so was pretty sure this would be wonderful, and maybe I'm being super critical but it was really just so so. Cute little place right on the water which would be fun in the summer to have a glass of wine and sit outside and watch the boats. Inside is very casual but perfect for a quick lunch. They were doing a brisk business on a Saturday afternoon. My friend and I opted to do some sharing so ordered nachos which came with shrimp, crab, peppers, cheese and some other toppings. Minimal seafood and I think even less cheese. If you're going to make nachos and charge over $20 then the cooks really need to learn how to layer the cheese so you aren't getting mostly bare chips. Hardly any of the other sauces and we had to look for the peppers. Also decided to split a lobster roll. The bun was toasted so much as to be just this side of overdone, small amount of lobster which tasted a little fishy, and while there was supposed to be melted butter all over it, we had trouble finding it. Not sure if the kitchen was having a bad day but our lunch today didn't make us want to return. read more