I've only bought one thing from here, a side of Faroe Islands salmon. it was the freshest piece of fish I've bought in my 35 years in Los Angeles. I used it for gravlax. It was literally perfect. The fish had no smell whatsoever when I picked it up. This is a warehouse, not really a seafood shop, so you order in advance and pick it up. The neighborhood is downright scary. But you just drive up to the gate and they buzz you in and you go in the back. There's a large dog there for protection, and I don't blame them. They seem to have a test kitchen and an office and the place is impeccably clean. The woman who helped me out was very personable and made everything quite easy. The price was extremely reasonable. Sushi grade salmon. Highly recommend for that alone. My guess is that their other stuff is great also but I wouldn't know. That's it. I'm going back for some salmon soon. I used half of it for the gravlax and cut the rest into portions to freeze. Delicious fish, and a good value. read more

This place is a great hidden gem precious seafood money can buy at a great price stop by and visit them. I would definitely recommend.

This is the place!! They sell fish to the restaurants in LA. Clean. Clean clean. You could eat off the floor and the women who run it are amazing. Delish. read more

Very accommodating. Large selection of seafood. Staff very pleasant and helpful. Would not hesitate to recommend them

Fresh and convenient seafood warehouse that is also available to the public. Prices are reasonable and staff is very helpful. You just order the day before although they do accommodate same day pick up if they have the stock. read more

I've been coming here for years, since they were at their previous location and absolutely love the quality of the seafood. It's wholesale prices and super fresh. My go to's are usually oysters, sushi grade salmon and tuna. You have to call in 24 hours before to place your order and need to ask what they have (items are seasonal). I do wish there was a pricing list readily available, but understand that their items change too frequently. Natalia is usually the one who answers and is great at making recommendations. Pick up is quick and easy. read more

Universal Seafood - a white bowl with salmon, avocado, cucumber, and sesame seeds - Seafood Markets Near Me - North Hollywood, California

I wasn't going to write a review but I will not tolerate being yelled at unnecessarily by a business. This place has gone down the drain over the past 2 years since Natalia left. For years I've ordered from Universal with no problems. The past 2 times has not been great. This time was the worst. I used their online contact form and requested what specific fish I wanted. Nobody got back to me except to tell me via email the order is ready. I thought great! Boy was I wrong. When I arrived, Joel showed me my order details. 3 out of 4 items were incorrect. Example: I had ordered wild Whitefish. They substituted it with Chilean Sea Bass. When I would ask Joel a question about an item, his response repeatedly was "I didn't take the order". OK Joel, I understand you didn't take the order, but now I'm asking what type of mussels this is - where is it from? I told him the proper thing would have been to contact the customer to let them know something isn't available and to ask if a substitution should be made. Joel advised me to talk to Nanette. Joel hands me a wet bag of the fish I chose to purchase. Other times they would neatly pack everything in a box of ice. I asked Joel to have Nanette call me; she didn't call. The next day I called to speak to Nanette. She gets on the phone and was immediately defensive. I politely introduced myself and tried explaining what had happened. Nanette rudely cut me off and said "I already know what happened but next time you need to provide us with your phone number so we can contact you". I said "Nanette, you had my contact info because you notified me that my order was ready; also I filled out your 'contact form' on your website". She then starts yelling at me saying "Next time don't take any of the fish if it's wrong and next time provide us with you number". I asked "Why are you being so rude and why are you raising your voice at me; is this what you call customer service?" I continued with "Why would you think it's ok to substitute Chilean Sea Bass for wild Whitefish?". She says "because Chilean Sea Bass is white. I said "Whitefish is a TYPE of fish; it's not just the color; Chilean Sea Bass is a completely different fish" Nanette then says "when was the last time you ordered from us because we haven't had wild Whitefish in a year". I said "I've ordered during the year but not Whitefish, but it's your job as the business to let a customer know what IS and ISN'T available in an order; that's what Natalia would do for years". Nanette then says "Ya well Natalia hasn't been here for 2 years". I said "Yes I know that and ever since she left the service has gone down hill." Nanette says "Yes unfortunately". LOL!!!! I said "Unfortunately? YOU are in control of how YOU treat your customers. Also I ordered PEI Mussels and wild Alaskan Halibut; you gave me an unknown mussels and Atlantic halibut." Nanette starts screaming again "ALASKAN HALIBUT ISN'T IN SEASON!!!!" I said "Nanette stop yelling, again it's YOUR job to notify the customer; I'm not a fisherman, I don't know what's in season. I ordered based off of what is on your website". She said "Well next time we will try to do better but you need to give us your phone number". I will not be returning to this place and I will let the person who referred me here know as well. read more

Fresh seafood, great prices, easy ordering/pickup. Happy to have found this place.

Branzino, Branzino & Branzino so happy I found this place thx to my broinlaw. They have it all here! It's not a seafood store, it is a warehouse with fresh seafood, including live lobster!! Great job guys, great service! I will be there every Saturday getting my Branzinos ;) read more

Universal Seafood - We Grilled The Marinated Branzino. Best tasting flaky fish! - Seafood Markets Near Me - North Hollywood, California

Five stars for the literally dozens of orders of the freshest, most pristine seafood available that I've received over the years. Universal is wholesale, primarily selling to high-end restaurants and retailers, but also to the public for 50-75% of what you'd pay at Santa Monica Seafood (one of their customers, I believe.) The prices vary according to supply so you might actually pay less this time than you did the last for that center-cut, skin-off, bloodline-out swordfish -- yes, they will package it exactly as you request. You must order the morning in advance of the day you want it and because it is not a retail outlet, they won't sell a half-pound of this and a half-pound of that. I freeze what I can't use immediately and it thaws beautifully especially if you let it thaw slowly in the fridge. Bonus: Nenette, my favorite sales rep, is a doll, full of good humor and always ready to recommend something new if you tell her what you do and don't like. PS They definitely take credit cards. Not a cash only place as an earlier reviewer wrote. read more

Warehouse on Atoll. There is a customer pickup area with chairs and magazines. Order ahead! This business is always polite and professional, come after 9 am when restaurants pickups end and order ahead. This was my second huge order for party, Oysters are very fresh!! Bring cash, exact change!! read more

Do not take your business to these people. Drove 30 mins to get there. Extremely rude and careless with their customers' time. made me wait a whole hour while running late to work. then said they can't find our order because they put it under a wrong name. refused to look with a phone number or help in any other way. talked to 4 different people not one could resolve the issue. Take your business, money and energy somewhere else. worthless place!! I wish there was a negative star!!! they'd get -3 read more

This place is fantastic. Not a store you can walk into, so you need to order ahead. I've ordered several items from here and it's always been fresh and delish. read more

I love this place! I even missed my pick up time, and they were so gracious to follow up with me. They have great customer service. They have to give you prices daily but they are wonderful and patient and have great prices. Best place to also get Boquerones!!! read more

The seafood was very fresh and the people were very nice and it was a great price we got two dozen oysters for about a dollar each and they were delicious thanks universal seafood! read more

Best King Crab legs And clams! They were so friendly and helpful. Can't wait to try more.

Great seafood. We place an order for seafood to make our cioppino. The person taking the order was very friendly and helpful in fish choices along with shellfish choices. We went to pickup our order on Saturday morning we were greeted by a friendly staff. The operation is very clean and organized. The cioppino turned out great due to great seafood. I will be back to take care of my seafood needs in the future. read more

IS THERE A MINUS FIVE STAR RATING?? These lazy and/or incompetent people at Universal Seafood did not bother to update their website. So after driving all across the Valley in Friday afternoon traffic and pulling up to their address on Atoll, imagine my surprise that the address stated on their website was no more! I then proceeded to call them and was told, "sorry, we're no longer there at that address. And even if I were to tell you our address, you couldn't come because we only do pre-orders with 24 hour notice"!!! What kind of BS is that?? I was livid, but the woman on the other end didn't seem to care. What kind of business model is this? Why would anyone buy fish SIGHT UNSEEN is beyond me!! read more

Great products and friendly service. Just remember to order ahead! They moved so park in the back. Usually geared towards larger companies but if you want fresh and delicious seafood (not a restaurant FYI) this is the best spot I've found in the valley. read more

I just came to pick up some shrimp I ordered. They ran out and decided to give me different sized shrimps instead. Didn't bother calling me, just packaged it thinking I would just take it. It took me half an hour to get here. If you run out of something, have the decency to call your customer so we don't have to waste our time. Don't assume we'll just take whatever you give. I asked why didn't they call me. All I got was a sorry we're busy. Well you weren't too busy to package that shrimp order. read more

While my first instinct is to keep this great secret to myself - that wouldn't be the right thing to do for my fellow yelpers, right? Ok - I really love this place. Fresh, high quality seafood. I've recently converted to "wild seafood only" - no more farm raised for me. I call in, ask what they have, and order some. Things to remember - as stated previously, this is a warehouse, so, don't expect a store. They have limited hours. Call in your order, and remember that most of the time, there's a 2 or 3 pound minimum - so if you are ordering fresh white salmon, don't expect to be able to order a 1/2 pound, it comes in a 2.5 to 3 pound filet. If you are tired of getting rocked $28-$30 a pound at whole foods or gelsons, this is a great alternative and seems fresher to me. Just be ok with ordering costco type quantity and be ready to freeze it or serve it up for a family/friends feast! read more

best seafood in Vally . Thank you guys.The food is great, service is great. We love to be there with friends at least ons a week

Unbelievably fresh seafood. Great service too. I called and placed my order. I picked it up next day. Oysters are freshest! And so reasonable too. Monk fish and loup de mer were fantastic. This is my go-to place for seafood. Remember, this is a warehouse, like Seafood Wholesalers downtown L.A. read more

Call ahead for pricing and orders. They are very quick and easy. This is a warehouse not a market. Take cash, their credit card machines are down. I got 6 dozen oysters for $80, 2 dozen Fanny Bay West Coast, 2 dozen Malpeque East Coast, and 2 dozen Blue Point East Coast, for a party. Great prices! read more

Great quality wild seafood at reasonable prices. So glad I found this place, it is now the only place I go to for fish and oysters.

Love this place! It's a very small little warehouse that sells fresh seafood and is open to the public. My husband loves making sushi so we order from here every now and then. You have to call in your order ahead of time. They have a minimum number of pounds you need to order depending on what fish you are purchasing. Prices are very reasonable. They pack it up for you. When you show up you just pay and go. Simple as that! The hours are short so make sure you check how late they are open before you pick up your orders. read more

my new go to place!! This is not a retail space. Be prepared. It is a warehouse experience... an awesome experience! Call then and order what you want. They will have it wrapped and boxed for pick up. This place made my day! Oysters, scallops and fish, Oh My! read more

My dad and I wanted seafood, but we didn't want to go all the way to Los Angeles at 11 am and deal with the traffic and any of the left overs. Luckily we found universal seafood which is right here in the valley a 15 min drive compare to an hour and half drive. The staff was very helpful and told us to next time place an order so they could have everything packed and ready to for us. Nanette balagtas and the gentle man where very kind enough to show us the product before purchasing. We will definitely comeback here again. read more

This place is amazing. The freshest mussels I've had in forever. And they were super clean as well. It is a warehouse soon frills, but who cares when you are getting this quality product. read more

Best European, natural and organic seafood you can find in the valley! Amazing salmon, the best wild shrimps and delicious halibut! Perfection in every bite! Bon appetit! read more

Thanks Yelp reviewers. Your reviews were spot on. We just purchased 10.5 dozen ( a box) of Fanny Bay oysters for $79.50. Amazing. We are going to a BBQ today and the oysters will be the hit of the party for sure. We went to a restaurant this past week and paid $30 for a dozen Fanny Bay oysters. Outrageously expensive. This is our new go to fish market. read more

This is not a store so before you place an order make sure you know your fish and what you want. The quality of products is unbeatable. Always fresh. I have been coming here for 5 years now and never had a bad experience. read more

Everything yelp has said positive about this place is TRUE! I was having company for dinner that I wanted to impress. I found Univeral Seafood on line and checked out the reviews. I decided to order their salmon. As stated you have to order it at least one day before you are going to pick it up. This "store" is really kind of hidden in an industrial area of North Hollywood. It is mostly is a seafood supplier for various restaurants, but also will serve customers. When I got there my salmon was cleaned and packaged. They even gave me an ice pack to use to keep it cold. The woman that waited on me was friendly and helpful. The one issue is that you have to buy a fairly big piece of fish. Mine was a little over 3 lbs. It was cleaned and had absolutely NO smell of fish. It was so fresh and the taste was the best I ever had,no matter what I have paid. Next time, I will buy this fish again and share it with a friend. It was worth it to me to drive a little extra to get such a wonderful tasting fish. They also have lots of kind of shellfish and other fish types. I highly recommend you try this place..it is a winner! read more

I'm an individual that found Universal Seafood here on Yelp when I was looking for rare, high quality seafood in LA. This place is a secret gem in our city! My first time, however, I was caught off guard because Universal Seafood is a warehouse and does not have a store front. This is an entirely different shopping experience, so If you're used to selecting seafood from behind a grocery store display case don't let the lack of presentation confuse you. When you arrive you'll pass through the plastic lined entrance of the warehouse and walk back to the office on the left. The first time I met the staff at Universal Seafood a platter of freshly cracked oysters was being passed around the small office and they warmly welcomed me to try one. This was a very cool first impression and a great learning experience. Be sure to ask about the seasonal catches too, because some of the selections you'll only see offered on the menus of our cities finest restaurants and at a fraction of the cost! read more

This is a great place to buy fish and shellfish. The prices (retail) are fair and the service is excellent. This is not a store. Most of their business is wholesale to restaurants who want top quality seafood. I'm sure the restaurants could buy cheaper product, but everything at Universal is high quality. Also, there is a manager named Paul who is extra helpful and friendly. This makes shopping easy. Don't expect a store. This is a commercial operation... but worth it for sure. The only caveat is, check their hours. I would call first to make certain that they are open. Because the business is primarily wholesale, they will close when they've finished with the wholesale trade. read more

Great place to buy fresh and organic seafood at reasonable prices! They have a wide variety of fish from around the world that you can't find at most other seafood markets. The staff is very knowledgeable and pleasant to do business with. Their fish is always fresh and tasty. I highly recommend Universal Seafood for fish lovers! read more

we came here to buy King crab legs... They are huge! They even have black tiger prawns as well! Kevin who helped us, was very patient and accommodating. He told us about the halibut which they just got. Since we got almost 10lbs. of king crab legs and 6lbs. of tiger prawns, he agreed to a 2 pound order of halibut fillet. We immediately cooked (baked) the front half for lunch... It was sooooo good! We intend to grill the tail part tomorrow. They also have live lobsters there. We will definitely come back. Thanks again, Kevin! read more

Have heard about this place and need to order 3 lbs or more if not a restaurant. Have to wait until our next seafood bash! Prices are reasonable and you know you are getting the freshest of the fresh! read more