We Chicagoans pay a premium for good (non-freshwater) fish. Most of our seafood has to travel over 1,000 miles to get here. This is not to say we don't have good seafood restaurants and fish markets around town, but it's not what we're best at. Most of us were not raised with a fish market on our corner offering up the catch of the day at a low price.
I love to cook fish at home, and the difference between fresh, fresh-frozen, and plain old frozen is very distinct. When I want fresh fish served by someone who really knows what they're talking about, I go to Dirk's Fish. Dirk worked at Burhop's Chicago (now closed) for 28 years. He knows quality and his personal service philosophy carries through his whole staff.
Dirk's has a distinct daily inventory of fresh seasonal fish, smoked fish, live shellfish, precooked foods, and some gourmet groceries. I believe you can always tell a good fish market in Chicago by the lack of a huge selection of fresh fish at the end of the day. They buy only what's freshly available, and what they know they can sell. There's no glory in stocking your coolers full of fresh fish that won't move. It may look pretty but it'll become a bad product very quickly. I'm generally pretty suspicious when I see a fish counter at 6pm serving tons of every type of fish under the sea (what happens at 8pm when all that fish isn't sold?). Dirk's serves only what's fresh, seasonal and is going to move out the door.Dirk's also prides itself on handling special orders. They can get a lot of different fish with 1 day notice, and many exotic seafood items with a few more days notice. If you're making something special, call Dirk's first.
Also, I never feel like I'm annoying the person behind the counter when I ask for something filleted, scaled, or if I turn something down. Dirk's is truly a full-service fish market. Whole Foods, on the other hand, while they occasionally have some nice fish, don't seem to know their product as well, and generally seem annoyed if you ask for something slightly modified.
This may have sounded like a commercial, but I assure you, EatChicago.net has received no special consideration from Dirk's except for a refrigerator magnet and the standard complimentary lemon with every order.
Check out Dirk's Fish at 2070 N. Clybourn (strip mall parking). Call ahead for special orders 773-404-3475, and check them out on the web at www.dirksfish.com.
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