Steve and I have eaten at The Fish Market Restaurant on Highway 280 in Birmingham twice now and thoroughly enjoyed it both times.  There are probably 2 main reasons: 1) We were with friends we have known since our newlywed days in Auburn, and 2) We really enjoy fresh seafood.  The location on 280 is great if you are coming or going from a football Saturday on the Plains in Auburn or if you have a day of shopping at The Summit. There’s another location near The Galleria on Highway 31 which is also convenient for shoppers coming from all over the state.

If you choose to “dine-in,” there are two options.  In one case, you can be seated by a hostess and have your order taken and brought to your table. The other choice would be to walk right up to the counter and place your order.  In that case, you get your own drink, napkins, etc. but your order is still brought to your table, and a server offers to help with anything you need. You save a little money in the category of tipping by choosing to order that way.  The Fish Market also offers a full catering menu, which is mighty handy if you live in the Birmingham and want to have some guests over for a nice meal WITHOUT having to shop, chop and spend a couple of days in the kitchen.  In addition to seafood selections of all kinds, the menu at The Fish Market also features quite a few Greek selections:  Greek salad, Greek coleslaw, Athenian style fish, Greek island style fish, Athenian Greek pasta, spanakopita, tyropita, to name a few.

Small fish platter with oysters, shrimp and scallops.

Rich, thick gumbo.

Fish tacos.

The seafood at The Fish Market comes from some well-known places: Bon Secour Fisheries near Mobile, AL and Bama Shrimp of Bayou La Batre (think Forrest Gump), plus Harbor Docks in Florida and Halpern’s Seafood in Georgia among others. Steve and I like the fact that you can order your fish fried, grilled or blackened.  At least you have a chance to eat healthy, right? And for healthier sides, you can choose steamed cabbage or grilled zucchini, squash and asparagus from among all of the usual sides you normally find.  The prices are moderate — probably in line with Red Lobster — and they open daily at 11:00 a.m., so you can enjoy lunch or dinner there.  We didn’t try any of the desserts, but the homemade bourbon bread pudding and the baklava sounded tempting.

Fresh fish on display at the counter — ready for the chef.

Check out the website. Even if you aren’t a seafood-lover, you could very well find a salad, soup, sandwich or chicken entree that would make you happy. . . . and don’t forget dessert.  🙂

Many thanks, Cindy and Hugo, for the recommendation . . . and the great company!