Blue Fish in Avondale

RockStar · December 26, 2009, 08:52:06 PM

Tried Blue Fish tonight.

Sat at the raw bar (formerly, just the bar). Oysters were all fantastic. Shucker was friendly as well. In fact, everybody behind the bar had a great attitude, was friendly, helpful...well done.

Started with the arugula pear salad. Excellent. Candied curry walnuts- nice touch...

Crab cakes. Phenomenal. I'm something of a crab cake afficianado. These were fantastic, albeit a little small. And I only say that because I wanted more...jumbo lumb crab, buerre blanc...really outstanding.

Lobster sliders...good, but not what I had expected. Could be amazing. Just ok.

Wine selection could be better; priced perfectly though. Full bar. Draft beer is all Bold City brews which is great. Support local beer!!! Drink Bold City!

Upstairs lounge hasn't been remodeled, apparently (I never went up there when it was Sterlings). Cozy, some tables. Nice atmosphere and view of the Avondale Strip...(not Las Vegas blvd... but lights up nice).

Price range for 2 was a little less than Bistro or Orsay, so very reasonable considering what you're getting.

Look forward to going back. A nice addition to the restaurant scene for sure.

BridgeTroll · December 27, 2009, 09:30:56 AM

Thanks for the review Rockstar! As a fan Of Bistro, Orsay, and Bold City and Oysters I will be there soon!

A-Finnius · December 27, 2009, 11:33:19 AM

Quote from: RockStar on December 26, 2009, 08:52:06 PM
Wine selection could be better; priced perfectly though. Full bar. Draft beer is all Bold City brews which is great. Support local beer!!! Drink Bold City!

I have been seeing Bold City all over Jacksonville recently. I even noticed that Copelands on Southside had it when I was there a few weeks back.

And yes thanks for the review. I will definitely be stopping by in the near future.

mdbarrettruns · December 27, 2009, 05:37:13 PM

Went there yesterday with friends and family. Took a minimum (and I am not kidding) of 10 minutes to get a glass of wine. Had two,so 20 minutes

Ordered the seafood salad (scallops, salmon). While quite good, the seafood was cold.

Ordered coffee. Yet another 10 minutes to get.

Will give it another shot, but they need to do something about the poor service.

DavidWilliams · December 27, 2009, 08:32:52 PM

Sounds as if they didn't do a soft open to work out the kinks. Hopefully, they correct the service issues.

mtraininjax · December 29, 2009, 10:42:50 PM

Did anyone notice the lovely plastic laminated menus for a Grenameyer restaurant? Hell Frank of Sterlings had more class than plastic laminated menus, I get those when I go to Bonos.

This place is not YET the class of Orsay or Aix, they need a few more months to work out kinks, and the little things like service, atmosphere and understanding what people want.

Anyone hear ANY bad reviews of Taverna? They came from Orsay, they know what people in Jax want. Great addition to San Marco. Blue Fish better listen and quickly.

braeburn · December 30, 2009, 03:38:32 AM

From what I can tell, the people that work there are the same people who worked at Sterlings...

RiversideJodi · December 30, 2009, 07:56:13 AM

I was pleasantly pleased that the Blue Fish was coming, or at least a new establishment into the hood. I ran past there with my dog one Sunday and picked up a menu and they told me the outside patio is dog friendly. I was all excited to try it out so I did on Monday with a girlfriend.

I was hoping this was an original restaurant idea, but as I searched for a link to send to my friend, I realizedthat it's a chain idea of a restaurant. There's one in Texas and I believe Tennessee. Maybe that jaded my idea before I walked into the restaurant but the food is very chain oriented - nothing like Orsay where they pride their dishes on fresh and original ingredients. Service was super slow and the server barely knew the menu or could read it due to atmosphere lighting.

I loved that they are serving Bold City but they need to step it up and add some details if they want to get a good following. I agree the plastic menus and "we're open" signage in the window is not what quite what I expected. I will give it another try but for now I'm feeling "eh" about it.

BridgeTroll · December 30, 2009, 07:59:38 AM

Thanks for the review RiversideJodi. Great first post... and welcome!

cybertique · December 30, 2009, 01:29:35 PM

We live in Avondale and although we like Orsay, you cannot compare the two. Plastic menus!! big deal, have you seen the prices at the Blue fish. They are fantastic the oysters 10 dollars a dozen compare that. We have eaten there at least half a dozen times. Service was slow the first time, but that should be forgiven till the kinks are worked out. We were there Saturday night with friends. we had to wait a while for a table and loved the music while we waited. We had a great time and dinner was delicious, service was fast and attentive. The restaurant was filled with a young and vibrant crowd. what a great and affordable addition to the avondale neighborhood, which we love so much. Thanks for giving us a great place to meet with friends..

BridgeTroll · December 30, 2009, 01:58:04 PM

Quotethe oysters 10 dollars a dozen

I will visit just for that!

BridgeTroll · December 31, 2009, 10:12:25 AM

My wife and I decided to check them out last night. We had high hopes but had realistic expectations after reading the mixed reviews here.
We arrived around 6:30 and found a table in the oyster bar area. The place was pretty full and filling up fast. Our waiter found us quickly and and brought us our Bold City brews... The menu's are plastic coated but there are daily specials printed separately.
I chose a dozen Blue point oysters ($1.95 ea.) to start... about ten minutes elapsed when I was informed they were out of Blue Points... I chose the Chicoteagues(sp?)
The tables were filling and the place was now packed. The oyster shucker was shucking oysters at a liesurely pace while flirting with the girl seated at the bar across from him. I just knew those were MY oysters...
The waiter arrived to take our dinner order. My wife ordered a small size entree while I ordered a full. Sure enough... after about twenty minutes our waiter arrived with my oysters.
Much to my dismay... directly behind him was another waiter with our entrees. I am not a huge stickler regarding details but appetizers (oysters) are a first course and the entrees should follow completion of that. The waiter seemed to understand my concerns and asked if he could "keep our plates warm" while I ate my oysters. Well aware of the effect of what twenty minutes under a warming lamp will do to fresh fish I asked them to remake or entrees when I had eaten the oysters. When I finished the Oysters... out came the entrees... directly from the heating lamp. I was annoyed but hungry. We began to eat and my wife declared her Scallop to be raw... sure enough. My food was good but most definitely suffered from its extended time beneath the lamp.

Management made things right in the end. This place shows promise and I fully intend to try again. I encourage others to check it out also. Our experience only shows the perils of eating at a new restaurant that is still trying to put it all together...

urbanlibertarian · December 31, 2009, 10:46:38 PM

Please, someone let me know when it is safe to go to Blue Fish.

Also, do they have a stout on tap? Goes good with oysters!

redletters · January 24, 2010, 01:57:43 PM

My wife and I have frequented Blue Fish 3 times this month already and plan on more visits. Every time we have gone we have received great food and great service. We have gotten an array of different fish as well as tried the steak. We havn't came across any reasons to complain.

mtraininjax · March 13, 2012, 12:14:36 AM

QuoteDid anyone notice the lovely plastic laminated menus for a Grenameyer restaurant? Hell Frank of Sterlings had more class than plastic laminated menus, I get those when I go to Bonos.

This place is not YET the class of Orsay or Aix, they need a few more months to work out kinks, and the little things like service, atmosphere and understanding what people want.

Bluefish has quietly become one of my favorite places to go in Avondale. I was there last Friday at 5:30 and their parking lot was already full. Not with folks from Riverside, Avondale, Ortega or San Marco, but from people around Jacksonville, the beach, southside and there were more people trying to get into the lot. The outside area was full with 5 tables and the inside was packed as well as the courtyard area. People were waiting to get a seat and it was great to see the former "Sterlings" doing so well. Frank was in charge for Richard who was in Memphis visiting his granddaughter.

Bluefish is now very DOG-Friendly too, you can get your food in the front patio area with your dog there and if you are lucky, Frank will bring your dog some goodies and really spoil your pooch. My heart has changed with regard to Frank, but success has a way of doing that, and he with Richard, have really made that place special. Kudos to them.

Since I live a few blocks to the shops, I bike to there and back with the misses, when we don't have the dog with us, and I can't tell you the number of ticket opportunities JSO is passing on when you see people parked illegally on Talbot, Pine or Riverside. People parked with their cars facing the opposite direction of traffic. That is a good ticket waiting to be written. I am going to lobby Jim Love to get some officers out there and generate some tickets and revenue, I mean, how hard is it for people to park in the direction of the flow of traffic?