Little Fish

Technically, Little Fish has been around since “Macarena” was a hit. The Queen Village BYOB was taken over by its current chef in 2016 as a tasting-menu only spot and then shut down during Covid. Now in its 3rd iteration, it’s hit its stride, thanks to a menu of creative, Asian-influenced seafood dishes that are among the best in the city.  

The faintly lit, compact spot has the most open kitchen you’ll ever encounter, and it takes up a good portion of the dining room. If the chef asks for salt, you might mistakenly search for some on your table to hand to him. While the candles, mood lighting, and constant flow of wine make it feel romantic, the sound of sizzling clams and fennel being chopped cranks up the energy and adds to the fun. It toes the line between an intimate place where someone on a date can admit they used to be afraid of Happy Meal toys and an exciting test kitchen—where everything you’re eating is coming straight from the chef’s mind (and the sea) and onto your plate. 

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

During the week, you can choose from the a la carte or tasting menu, but on the weekends, the chef takes the wheel. The $110 tasting menu is an incredible lineup of things like a ravage-worthy tuna topped with a tangy shiso chimichurri or expertly shaved fluke topped with a peppery, subtly bitter mizuna.  Not only are they delicious—they’re stunning enough to forget about the 30 minutes of agony you spent finding parking before walking in the door.

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

After all this time, dinner here is still in demand. Search for a reservation too late, and you’ll be having dinner at the same time Sabrina Carpenter fans are bar hopping. We suggest trying your luck early in the week. Everything on the plate is impressive, so it’s great to come with a few friends and listen to all the things that annoyed them this week. Or plan an easygoing date night at a place that needs to be near the top of your BYOB checklist. Or don’t plan anything at all, and let the sight of extraordinary oysters and crab and clam spaghetti draw you in like the first notes of a catchy Spanish pop song.

Food Rundown

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

Scallop Toast

The scallop toast is served on a soft sesame baguette from Germantown’s Baker Street Bread Company. And while the buttery, crisp bread is great, the main event is what’s on top. The thick slivers of scallops are dressed with a chili oil drizzle, confetti of chives, and soy. You’ll want the clash of light saltiness, sizzle from the oil, and succulent scallops to last forever.

photo credit: NICOLE GUGLIELMO

Fluke Crudo

This crudo looks like a colorful salad and packs a lot of crunch. There’s a roof of baby fennel, carrot slices, pistachio, and mizuna all over thinly sliced fluke in a pool of shallot vinaigrette. The dressing gives the earthy blend a subtle, sweet tanginess.

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

Curry Tuna

If we text you a picture of this dish, it doesn't mean that we're in the mood to share. You’ll want to keep each fragrant bite of tuna covered in a curry sauce all to yourself. It’s served on a triangle of warm crispy rice that has a chip-like crunch. It’s one of those starters that takes your excitement for a night here from a flicker to a full on fire.

photo credit: GAB BONGHI

Butter Roasted Halibut

The halibut is beautifully cooked, but the rich brown butter dashi beurre blanc is downright drinkable—we’d pour it into those Vegas yard glasses and take it everywhere with us if we could. Served with a mix of sauteed snow pea leaf, shitake, and gai-lan tossed in a citrusy yuzu kosho, it’s an ensemble cast of ingredients that comes together to produce a hit on the plate.