The dining area at Mitchell’s Fish Market
*note: a change in ownership has led to a change in the name of this restaurant
http://www.columbusfishmarket.com/
Overall GrubGrade B+
The Breakdown:
Atmosphere: Grade A: A change in ownership has not had a negative impact on the atmosphere at Mitchell’s Fish Market (formerly Columbus Fish Market). Mitchell’s Fish Market has a nice, upscale seafood restaurant vibe going for it. The décor is suitably nautical, and the tables and dining area were extremely clean. Tables are well spaced, and the dining room was ultra-quiet. You might even forget there are other diners among you – make sure you behave yourself.
High marks: Clean, quiet, nice décor, good table spacing
Low marks: Not really any different than any other upscale seafood restaurant
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Service: Grade A-: This was not our first visit to the Fish Market, but it is the first time we’ve been there since the change in ownership and name. Historically, we have always received good service. This occasion was no different. Our server was Melissa, and she did a very nice job taking care of us. Service was a little slow at the onset, but once our first drinks and appetizer arrived, the pace seemed to pick up a bit. All dishes were delivered as ordered, and drinks were refilled in a timely fashion. While there was nothing extraordinary about the service, Melissa certainly performed her duties admirably. We’d love to have her as our server again.
High marks: No mistakes, minimal wait once meal got started
Low marks: Slow service initially
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Food/Spirits: Grade B: We started our seafood odyssey with some BBQ shrimp as an appetizer. We could best describe it as ho-hum, but we weren’t really expecting a whole lot from it when we ordered it. For beverages, Katina started with the Moscato White Sangria, which she really liked. It was sweet and fruity, which you would expect from a drink using moscato as a base (gotta love those dessert wines). She ordered a crushed Blackberry Margarita for her second drink, which she thought was good, but not excellent. Katina didn’t really feel like it tasted like a margarita. I was just happy I didn’t have to get a wheelbarrow to wheel her out of the restaurant. I ordered an Orange Citrus Mojito, which I found unimpressive. So, I finished the meal with a couple bottles of Guinness. It’s nice to have a good, quality backup drink. Mitchell’s Fish Market was having a special on lobster tails, which Katina jumped on, of course. The special included a salad, the lobster tails, and a dessert for $29.99. She started with a caesar salad, which was fairly ordinary. The twin tails were pretty good, but paled in comparison to the ones you usually get with the twin lobster tail dinner at Bonefish Grill. For her dessert, she received some strawberry shortcake — nothing out of the ordinary with the dessert. I started with the clam chowder, which is a staple starter for me. The clam chowder was pretty good, possibly some of the best I’ve ever had. For my entrée, I ordered the Rockfish, which is a fish I’ve never tried before. The rockfish was very good. I found it flavorful, lite and flaky. I was impressed, and I’ll be looking for rockfish at other seafood restaurants we visit.
High marks: Rockfish was excellent, Moscato White Sangria very tasty
Low marks: Average lobster tails, unexciting salad
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Value: Grade B: As we mentioned before, Mitchell’s Fish Market is not Long John Silver’s. If you go, you’re going to drop a few dimes. Dinner for two with appetizer, drinks and dessert is going to cost you north of $100. The food is really good, but we’ve had better for less money. It should be noted that the twin lobster tail three course meal was an exceptional value. If it is still being offered, it’d be a good choice if you like lobster. If you don’t like lobster, why haven’t you jumped off a cliff yet? I don’t think I could hack a lobster-free existence. Mitchell’s Fish Market may not be a place you visit frequently, but stopping by every now and then is highly recommended.
High marks: Twin lobster tail dinner a great value
Low marks: Can get similar or better quality seafood for a lower price at other establishments
grubgraders 