Pittsburgh's Best Salmon

Pittsburgh’s salmon situation is a scattershot mess, and I’ve eaten through it so you don’t have to. You can grab a perfectly cooked fillet at Eleven for a special occasion, or you can buy a raw slab at Wholey’s and handle it yourself, which is honestly more in the spirit of this town.

The Strip District’s fish counters and Oakland’s lunch spots are not the same universe. Roland’s will give you a monumental cod sandwich, and that’s fine.

Find your fish below.

Roland's Seafood Grill

Highlights
Giant beer-battered cod sandwich
Mancini's bread lobster roll
Attentive, friendly service
Reasonable prices throughout

I went to Roland's for the salmon, but I'll be honest: the salmon was fine, not life-changing. The cod sandwich, however, is a monument. Beer-battered, giant, and served with a shrug that says, 'Yes, this is too much.' The lobster roll on Mancini's bread is a solid choice too. Service was attentive without being clingy. Prices were reasonable, which in Pittsburgh is a miracle. I left full, slightly worried about my arteries, and oddly content. Not the best salmon in town, but a reliable stop if you're in the Strip and want to eat like a lumberjack.

You might also want to check out the best lunch in Pittsburgh.

Redfin Blues

Highlights
River view, waterfront seating
Kristen’s service saved dinner
Birria tacos: legitimately excellent
Seafood appetizers pleased all nine
Ample parking, small venue

Redfin Blues has a river view, which is nice until the sun sets and you realize the view is mostly a parking lot. The salmon? It was okay. But the birria tacos were legitimately excellent, and Kristen, our server, practically saved the evening when the kitchen seemed to forget we existed. The seafood appetizers pleased all nine of us, which is a statistical anomaly. The venue is small, parking is ample, and the salmon is not the reason to come. Come for the tacos, stay for the view, and tip Kristen well.

You might also want to check out the best neighborhoods in Pittsburgh.

Altius

Highlights
Spectacular view, attentive service
Delicious appetizers and desserts
Steaks cooked exceptionally well
Fine dining, special occasion spot
Savory dishes lean sweet

Altius has a view that makes you forget you're in Pittsburgh, until you look down and see the river. The salmon? I didn't order it; I ordered a steak, and it was cooked exceptionally well, which is the highest praise I can give a steak in a city that doesn't care. The appetizers and desserts were delicious, but the savory dishes lean sweet, which is a trend that needs to stop. Service was attentive, the special occasion vibe is real, and the price tag reflects that. If you want salmon here, be prepared to share the spotlight with the scenery.

You might also want to check out the best pizza in Akron.

Penn Avenue Fish Co

Highlights
Fast service, tasty seafood

Penn Avenue Fish Co is a takeout counter, not a sit-down place. The salmon was fresh and cooked properly, but the real draw is the speed. I ordered, waited four minutes, and walked out with a perfectly decent fillet. It's not a destination, but if you're in the Strip and need a quick seafood fix, this is a solid pit stop. The service is fast, the seafood is tasty, and the atmosphere is the sidewalk. That's fine. Sometimes you just need to eat and move on.

You might also want to check out the best ramen in Pittsburgh.

FET-FISK restaurant + bar

Highlights
Whole grilled branzino shines
Fresh, hand-cut steak tartare
Unique lingonberry meringue dessert
Worth the price cocktails
Dim lighting hides flaws

FET-FISK's whole grilled branzino was the standout, which is a bit ironic since I came for salmon. The salmon was fine, but the branzino was a revelation, crisp skin and tender flesh. The steak tartare was fresh and hand-cut, which is more than most places can say. The lingonberry meringue dessert was unique, and the cocktails were worth the price, which is rare. The dim lighting hides a lot of flaws, but there weren't many. It's a solid spot, though the salmon is not the reason to go.

You might also want to check out the best areas to live in Pittsburgh.

Muddy Waters Oyster Bar

Highlights
Fresh raw oysters consistently
Top-notch, friendly service
Happy hour menu delivers
Excellent chargrilled oysters
Catfish sticks worth ordering

Muddy Waters Oyster Bar has fresh oysters, which is a good start. The salmon? Not on the menu, as far as I could tell. I had the chargrilled oysters, which were excellent, and the catfish sticks were worth ordering. The happy hour menu delivers, and the service is top-notch, friendly without being overbearing. The raw oysters were consistently fresh, which is the whole point. If you're looking for salmon, this isn't the place. But if you're looking for a good oyster, you've found it.

You might also want to check out the best shopping malls in Pittsburgh.

Robert Wholey & Co. Inc.

Highlights
Wide fresh fish selection
Live Maine lobster available
Fried cod sandwiches upstairs
Free ice for purchases
Old-school market efficiency

Robert Wholey & Co. is a market, not a restaurant, but you can get a fried cod sandwich upstairs. The salmon? They'll sell you a fillet, and it's fresh, but you have to cook it yourself. That's fine with me; I trust the old-school market efficiency. The selection is wide, the live Maine lobster is a nice touch, and they give you free ice for your purchases, which is oddly generous. It's not a review of a salmon dish, but it's a review of where to buy salmon. Go there, buy a fish, cook it at home.

You might also want to check out the best pizza in Youngstown.

Eleven

Highlights
Flawless salmon preparation and temperature
Top-tier service and presentation
Worth the premium price point
Exceptional dessert selection overall
Consistently excellent food quality

Eleven is where you go for salmon when you want it done right. The preparation was flawless, with perfect temperature and texture, the kind of thing you'd expect from a place that charges a premium. The service was top-tier, and the presentation was almost too pretty to eat. The dessert selection was exceptional, which is dangerous. The price point is high, but you get what you pay for. If you're celebrating something, this is the spot. If you just want salmon, this is still the spot, but be prepared to loosen your wallet.

You might also want to check out the best store in Pittsburgh.

Bridges & Bourbon

Highlights
Cocktails outshine the food
Excellent whiskey selection
Stylish, spirited bar setting
Surprisingly good smashburger
Worth it for drinks

Bridges & Bourbon is a bar with good drinks and mediocre food. The cocktails outshine the food by a wide margin, and the whiskey selection is excellent. The salmon? I didn't order it; I ordered the smashburger, which was surprisingly good. The setting is stylish and spirited, the kind of place you'd bring a date or a business contact. But if you're here for salmon, you're in the wrong place. Come for the drinks, stay for the drinks, and maybe get a burger. The salmon can wait.

You might also want to check out the best food in Canton.

Umami

Highlights
Fresh, flavorful oysters shine
Wagyu skewers cooked perfectly
Knowledgeable bartender recommendations
Worth the stair climb

Umami is up a flight of stairs, which is a workout, but the bartender's recommendations made it worth the climb. The salmon was not on the menu, as far as I could tell, but the oysters were fresh and flavorful, and the wagyu skewers were cooked perfectly. The bartender knew their stuff, which is a relief. The stair climb is a hassle, but the food is solid. If you're looking for salmon, you might be out of luck. But if you're looking for a good skewer and a knowledgeable pour, this is your place.

You might also want to check out the best mover in Pittsburgh.

Gaucho Parrilla Argentina

Highlights
Sandwich meats deeply flavorful
Seafood cooked precisely, not overcooked
Sauces tasty, though excessive
Ideal pre- or post-game spot
Comfortable, inviting atmosphere

I came for salmon; I left thinking about the steak. Gaucho's salmon was cooked precisely, not a millimeter overdone, which is rarer than it should be. The sandwich meats, though, are the real show, deeply flavorful and piled high. The sauces are tasty, if a bit aggressive; I had to scrape some off. The atmosphere is comfortable, the kind of place you can show up in a jersey before a game. It's a solid pre- or post-game spot, but the salmon is not the star. It's a supporting actor that knows its role.

You might also want to check out the best florist in Pittsburgh.

Union Grill Oakland

Highlights
Fast, friendly lunch service
Turkey Devonshire and salad
Modern space, good table spacing
Excellent food and bar items

Union Grill in Oakland is a lunch spot, not a salmon destination. The salmon was competent, nothing more. The real heroes were the Turkey Devonshire and the salad, which were surprisingly good. Service was fast and friendly, which matters when you're on a lunch break. The space is modern, with good table spacing, so you don't have to hear your neighbor's Zoom call. The bar items were solid. If you're looking for salmon, go elsewhere. If you're looking for a reliable, no-drama lunch, this works.

You might also want to check out the best roofers in Pittsburgh.