Fisherman Johnny’s Seafood Outlet

Just found the new location (in the back corner of a small mini-​mall at the corner of Lankershim and Ventura), and not a moment too soon! Got a great value on a bag of FRESH oysters for NYE and some other top quality seafood for a very fair price. They still have all my favorites but a somewhat pared down selection. Same great service. Same warm and welcoming people. So relieved that they are back! My diet (which caused a 45 lb weight loss earlier in the year) was highly dependent upon their products and recipes.

Update 7÷20÷2011 — No go one more time at the SC location — advertising regulations were too tough.
Frankie owns the old location building in Elysian Park (on Riverside), so there have been a lot of suggestions what to do with the site (Biergarten?, Street Food Cart Park, etc.)
This location will become #2 of Johnny’s friend Reno (I believe). Should be open soon.
— — — — — — -
After closing at the original location due to neighborhood changes It’s back up — though Franky went on to other ventures, so it’s Fisherman Johnnys over in Studio City (sort of near Universal City) just off Ventura and Lankershim.
Johnny also added a co-​op with the nearby Deli, so there are more meat and snacking offerings now. Same 7 days a week — same website. Same Johnny!

Closing Up

New location: When I was told Frank and Johnny was closing, I was heart broken. Their New York Style Lox (Salmon) is soooo good. What am I to do?
Good news: the are now re-​opened as
FJ Seafood Outlet & Deluxe Deli
10 604 Ventura Blvd.
Studio City, CA. 91 604
(818) 762‑2335
YEAH!

The store is nice, and the people are helpful and friendly, but the fish tacos I got today were the worst I have ever had. Tiny amounts of greasy scraps of tastless fish on a tortilla. Nothings else, no additional toppings, just tidbits of fish on a tortilla. Very disappointing, especially for a place that specializes in fish. I will still shop there for fish, but I wouldn’t eat their fish tacos again if they were handing them out for free.

The crab cake sandwich alone is easily in my top 10. Saves me a trip to San Pedro for fresh seafood!

Can you say super friendly? The people who work here really know their seafood. Everyone was incredible helpful and friendly. We needed ideas, help big time for a seafood extravaganza. Everything we purchased was fresh and tasty from he crab to the shrimp. They gave us cold packs of ice for the car ride home and even taught us how we were to clean the crab properly. I must say we did a good job!
It isnt a large space but they have a huge patio where they grill up everything daily for lunch.
I would definately recommend checking this place out for seafood. Its a bit pricey as most seafood is, but you just have to know what you are buying.

My friends know what a fussy little pussycat I am when it comes to seafood. I’ve hitherto got my fish at Fish King in Glendale which is about as good as it gets. But I must say that this place is pretty amazing… and as everyone on here has remarked, the service in here is unlike ANY place that I know of… Johnny and his staff go above and beyond… it’s almost surreal. Maybe it is just that we are so unused to being served by people that love what they do.
Anyway, I digress, one thing about the sweet salty firm oysters, the blonds from Carlsbad, on the day that I bought them, Johnny matched the purchase price of $ 20 with a donation to charity. Cant beat that!
They also have decent baguettes for a song that are frozen and par baked, great in an emergency and an interesting selection of international products like pickled onions from the UK. And where else can you always find lovely flash frozen sardines from Monterey Bay that taste so good thrown on the BBQ?

I have had tacos from all over the world and I love this place. The value, service and selection make this place a great lunch spot for locals.
Everyone that comes in raves about how kind the staff and patrons are, and I agree!
Last time I was in I had the sea bass burrito, this as well as some of the other selections including the torpita (great) and anything containing their delicious white fish always satisfies my cravings for sea food!!!
I will be back, this place is amazing!!!

There’s never enough time in the day so when I saw a Seafood place that advertises «Grab ‘N Go Lunches» that’s got my name all over it…
So I opted to sample a few Seafood Tacos
Crab —
HORRIBLE absolutely tastes disgusting
Shrimp —
was OK, NO seasoning just plain shrimp taste
Lobster —
flavorless and somewhere in between horrible and OK
Tortillas — Crappy and Greasy
Crab — 1-​Star
Shrimp — 3-​Stars
Lobster — 2-​Stars
Tortillas — Minus 1-​Star
Avg — 1.5-Stars

What a great selection of Italian and Armenian seafood delicacies! Shopping there is just like being back East!

Best place to go to buy fresh fish. Delicious stuff with great pricing. No question. The place is very clean and the owner explained to me the first time I went that they vacuum pack all of the fish so when you walk in you don’t get attacked by a potent smell. And the market items, like sauces and canned goods and drinks, are great too.
The grilled fish cookouts they do with the rotating fish selections are so very good. Two different pieces of perfectly grilled fresh fish with couple of sides and some bread you won’t even be able to finish all for $ 12? Sold. And on top of it all, the owner is the nicest guy and so excited about his business.
You won’t regret going to this place. I’m doing my best to depend on it for my seafood fix.

I’m a little obsessed with this place. First off, the warmth one receives from the owner upon arrival is reminiscent of a small town… friendly, inviting and dare I say, will even give you free stuff if you talk to him for more than a few minutes and allow him to give you a tour. The owner is the nicest, most generous, sweetest store owner i’ve ever met and apparently boasts 40 years in the seafood industry! I went two days in a row (yesterday and today) and the owner waved at me the second I got out of my car. It was the cutest!
Anyway, the first day I went (yesterday) there was a mariachi/​classic rock cover band which was fun but maybe a bit too loud. I first went in the store and it was awesome — totally authentic and TONS of seafood — fresh and frozen. But the best part for me was — for 20 bucks you can get this HUGE bag of the meatiest raw oysters I’ve ever seen. I know this because the owner let me sample an oyster and it was unreal. Unfortunately for my oyster eating habit, I am currently pregnant so buying the bag will have to wait… oh but dont you worry, I’ll be there the day after labor. Seriously, it was BY FAR the best deal for raw oysters I’ve ever seen. Not to mention the first day I was there he was donating all the proceeds from the oysters to a charity organization (apparently his son who is always there suffers from mild mental retardation).
My friend and i really went to dine so luckily for us EVERY SINGLE DAY at Franky and Johnny’s Seafood Outlet they grill! So far I’ve only had the lobster taco… twice…and it is ridiculously delish and so well priced. They also serve fresh grilled fish. Anything from salmon to halibut to some sort of river fish that I don’t remember the name of. I cant wait to go back and try it! Just make sure you check out both grill spots as the menu items are different. The owner calls the grilling area «the wharf» How cute?
The shtick of this place is adorable… you really feel like you are somewhat at a fish market at a wharf even if you are just across from the 5 on the most random spot on Riverside. I wondered for years what they were going to do with this abandoned gas station which apparently had some asbestos issue. Once they finally opened the fish market, i drove by at least a dozen times telling myself «i must stop there some time» and boy, am i glad I did. I will definitely be going back and will be bringing friends and as for you beautiful oysters, dont you worry, mama will be comin for ya!

The freshest fish in LOs Angeles, amazing daily cookouts and the owner Johnny is the coolest guy ever. Check out seafood market inside too.

Fantastic selection of fish. Sauces, pickles, fancy ginger beer and more oh my!
I must also say the owners were some of the nicest guys ive ever met.

I agree with the other reviewers! The people are really nice and the fish is super fresh! Also, the decorations are incredible! They really have this place decked out. I love the mascots!

If you love seafood this is the place to get it. We have bought fish, clams and all have been great. The arctic char we got the other night was the most fresh and best tasting fish in our house.
The owners are always there giving you tips and being extremly kind. This is a model business, hands on, managment that cares, with excellent quality.
Get your seafood here.

I’ve been there twice and both times they had their fresh fish grilling outside. The place is small but quaint with a good selection of both fresh and frozen fish. They also have a nice selection of deli items to go along with any seafood meal.
They grill daily and have some table out front to sit down and enjoy your meal. For 13 bucks you get to good size pieces of different fish and 2 sides. This is plenty for 2 people. Their goal is to introduce people to different types of fresh fish. Good on them.
This might be the spot to stop at before a Dodger game considering how it is right at the bottom of Elysian Park at the Stadium Way exit.

On weekends they have BBQ fish made to order with really good bread and yummy sides (pasta salad, ect). I just went and the Catfish was AMAZING. Than I tried the swordfish and was equally yummed over. I love the covered deck as well.
The people that work and run the place are beyond friendly.
There is a large array of fish inside. And there ARE grab n’ go lunches… In that a salad or sushi was pre-​prepared and it is available for lunch. I always thought that is what grab ‘n go is. Not really false advertisement as the previous reviewer said. I would love to know where I can go to pick up hush puppies.

The minute you exit the freeway you will see a million flags of different countries. You will also see their signs for their love of Los Angeles and the Dodgers.
The parking lot is small.
The workers are nice.
That sign that says: Lunch Boxes To Go does NOT mean they have food prepared for you to come grab, and go. I was looking forward to cooked fish and maybe a few hush puppies. Their mistake for the false advertisement. Maybe in the future they will have it — I don’t know but that was the whole reason why I came here.