Uncle's Fish Market & Grill

The other day I went to visit a couple friends who work at Uncle's Fish Market & Grill (1135 North Nimitz Highway - see map here).  I didn't know it at the time, but I had actually already been there.  When my mom was here visiting, we went for dinner.  This time around, though, I had the opportunity to really take stock of where I was, what I've tried at other restaurants, and truly assess the quality of this place.  Uncle's Fish Market is across from the Ala Moana Beach right along the Ala Moana harbor.  It's where all the fishing boats are docked, in between Waikiki and Chinatown on Ala Moana Blvd.  As you drive by, there is a big sign at the entrance alerting you to different restaurants, all of which have some form of "seafood" or "fish" in the title.  It seems only logical to find fresh fish at these place considering their location.

Inside Uncle's Fish Market & Grill

I have to say that very rarely am I as disappointed as I was with Uncle's.  First of all, the ambiance is nice.  It's a pretty quiet place where you can sit inside at the bar and either talk to the bartender or just relax.  They have only one TV inside and it's kind of difficult to watch from the bar.  You can go there for takeout or dine-in.  They only serve seafood, but they have every kind of seafood you can imagine.  So I sat at the bar for a couple hours just talking with some friends before deciding to order. My roommates actually came up and joined me for appetizers before they headed to some other bar.  We tried the fried calamari, which was pretty amazing.  It comes on a bed of french fries and offers a healthy portion of calamari chunks.  It wasn't chewy at all, which usually is why I don't eat it.  Followed by that,  I had the Parmesean crusted MahiMahi.  Again, it was good.  For the price, though, it was definitely not worth it.  In fact, I found that to be the case with almost everything on the menu.  The prices are ridiculously high (especially given the restaurant's location) and the portions are ridiculously small.  We're talking about $20 for a small piece of fish and french fries.  This is not a fancy restaurant where you get vegetables, bread, and 5-star waiters.  Someone else ordered the seafood pasta.  This IS worth getting.  There was a ton of different seafood options in a big bowl of marinara sauce and a side of pasta.  It was awesome.  I was also told that the fish and chips are amazing.

Fish and Chips

So if you're in the mood for seafood and you don't want to go out for a 5-star dining experience in Waikiki, then Uncle's is a solid bet.  The food is delicious, but be prepared to pay far more than you're getting.