Review: Nick’s Fish House {Baltimore, Maryland}

A waterfront restaurant in downtown Baltimore with a menu full of fresh fish? We are so there. And you should be too.

When the kids and I spent a weekend in Baltimore back in June, I had one thing on my mind when it came to food.

Fish.

Or, more specifically, shellfish.

Which displeased the kids to no end. Because besides the odd occasion when Nick will eat salmon, they pretty much refuse to eat all fish of all kinds.

And I continue to hold out hope that that will change.

Given how my own taste buds have changed over the years, I know it will. I just need to be patient.

We went down to the hotel front desk to ask their dinner recommendations. Not what they recommend to tourists coming to see their city, but where they would eat themselves.

Because that’s the very best way to get a good dinner recommendation.

Ask the locals where they eat.

And that’s how we ended up at Nick’s Fish House. Relatively easy to find in an industrial part of town, just by pulling into the gravel parking lot, the initial impressions pleased us all to no end. For various reasons.

The kids love eating outdoors, as do I, and the weather was too gorgeous not to. And the restaurant had a slew of outdoor seating.

It was loud and lively (a good thing in the summer time).

It had oysters (that one was for me).

And it was called Nick’s. Which means it was a given that we would be leaving with a t-shirt for Nick. Natch.

And from those initial impressions, it only got better.

The menu is expansive. So much fresh fish. So much local Baltimore flavor. And so many decisions to make.

Kid’s menu? Yep, got that covered too.

I ended up going with a Cobb Salad salad and a plate of raw oysters.

Which meant I could totally still eat “on plan,” and still get my oyster fix.

Nick, completely knee deep in a pre-teen-boy-must-eat-all-the-things period, ordered spaghetti and meatballs, french fries, and buffalo wings.

And ate pretty much everything.

And Madeline went with the always available chicken fingers.

The wait staff was friendly and outgoing, taking care of our every need. Drink refills were done without asking, food came out swiftly, and size medium shirts were brought right to the table so Nick could choose which color he wanted.

The food? Delicious. Hot when it should be hot. Cold when it should be cold. Fresh. Reasonably priced, and really generous portions.

The restaurant *does* get very busy on the weekends, and conversation is harder as the night gets later and the live music gets louder, so this is not your spot for whispering sweet nothings to your partner or carrying on meaningful conversations.

If you happen to be venturing through Baltimore for a visit, don’t miss this one.

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