Tom Tontimonia has left his post at Market Garden Brewery to open “a little fish shack and barbecue joint” of his own.
When it opens on September 9, the Fish Shack and Grill (3156 W. 25th St., 216-661-7225) will be an updated version of the classic fish and BBQ carry-out so common on the East Side.
“It will be a lot like Whitmore’s,” explains Tontimonia, who also ran the raw bar at Viaduct Lounge. “There’s really nothing really like it on the West Side.”
Located just south of Clark, the shop will smoke barbecue items like ribs and pulled pork, but will focus most of its efforts on seafood. Fish dinners (catfish, walleye, perch and tilapia) can be ordered fried, blackened or sautéed with lemon and butter. Other fish dinners are built around fried shrimp, frogs legs, and clams. Prices range from $10-$13 and include rice or fries, coleslaw, and bread.
Most of those same fish items can be ordered as a sandwich, along with a Cubano made with pulled pork and a BLT with a half pound of bacon. Sandwiches range from $7 to $11.
House-made soups include clam chowder and gumbo, while sides offered are hush puppies, mac and cheese, corn bread, rice and beans, and greens flavored with smoked turkey necks. Soups and sides range from $2 to $6.
Fish Shack and Grill will be open every day from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
This article appears in Sep 4-10, 2013.
A horrendous experience; I don’t even know where to start. One can blame it on opening day but I expect that after 9 hours they would have their act together. Shall we start with the Cubano that was not made with pulled pork but rather a thin slice of pork. Or how about the hush puppies everyone of which was dark and greasy on the outside and yet managed to be uncooked at the center. And then there’s the rice and beans made with waterlogged over cooked rice and beans that looked more like refried beans and somehow managed to include hard undercooked beans among the mush that was served over the rice. They were certainly unlike any other beans and rice I have ever had. And to wash it all down, a warm ice tea with no ice served in their carryout soup bowl/cup. None of the food in the steam trays appeared anywhere near fresh. If I want food that’s been drying out for five hours in a stem tray I’ll go to a convenience store, I don’t expect that from a restaurant.
While the food was unacceptable, the service wasn’t any better. The focus of the ladies up front was centered way too much of their friends. And their ability to mess up an order, even after being corrected, rivals that of any fast food drive thru.
I certainly don’t see myself making the 50 mile round trip drive to eat their wares again anytime soon.
On the plus side… my chihuahua liked the beans and rice.
just had the cat fish platter, it was good well worth the 10$ been looking for a god spot like this to open up.. it only took 10 mins after i place the order and it was fresh.. trust me you’ll get full..
Food and service was great. We needed something like this on the westside. They have a good selection of fish and their gumbo is phenomenal! I highly recommend the gumbo. Not to mention their half pound not. Will certainly be revising again!!