J DeLuca Fish Company

Seems like a lot of folks on here don't know the difference between J&D and J DeLuca. John DeLuca's shop (to the north of the large building) stays open a little bit later than J&D. I always visit each of the different three shops that open on Saturday mornings and choose accordingly.

Here I've bought their tuna loin (including bluefin), snapper, excellent rainbow trout, and mackerel. They specialize in squid, anchovies, sardines, and mackerel ($2 to $3/lb) -- the other places don't quite have this selection. I buy the mackerel to smoke -- and the mackerel quality is quite good here.

The prices are reasonable -- it's important to know exactly what you're looking for down here between the different vendors and do your due diligence with regards to quality. Always a must top on Saturday mornings.

Get there early for the best selection! They have bags, gloves, ice and styrofoam pieces to transport the fish, they also will cut it up for you.

Cash only so be prepared! They have everything from shrimp, the salmon belly, to whole fish of every kind, something to see and experience!

Service is great

Fish prices are good (1/5 price of Bristol Farms)

If you want whole
halibut or whole Blue fin Tuna this is the place for you

Giant shrimp also good

There's a reason everyone waits for the other places to open. Not everyone but the main guy is rude and has a attitude.

Lots of variety of sea life available for purchase at very reasonable prices. Got here at 2am and there were already crowds here waiting to get in and grab what they could. I ended up getting a couple halibut steaks, shrimp, and salmon.

Super Saturday fresh seafood market at 3am

Great selection of tuna, halibut, mussels,clams, bonito, mackerel, etc..

Great cleaning services too

Friendly staff, can't beat the pricing anywhere

Went there again, going to make this a monthly thing!!

If you've never made it out to the Saturday morning San Pedro fish market you are really missing out. Fresh fish for a fraction of what you'd pay even at COSTCO. This is the only time these vendors sell directly to the public. They are wholesale companies and you will often times find yourself picking out seafood next to local restauranteurs who are looking for the freshest product available to serve to their customers.

You will find the following tips helpful for your first visit.

1. Get there early. Things sell out and it gets a lot more crowded the later it gets. We leave Culver City around 3:30AM.

2. There are usually 4 or 5 vendors open so be sure to comparison shop (price, selection, quality and freshness).

3. You will also find other satellite vendors selling vegetables, tamales, sweets, etc..

4. Bring cash. Period.

5. Have fun!

All that being said we have found J. DeLuca Fish Company to be the best vendor there by far. Their quality is the best and they are very nice and accommodating. We buy salmon, sole, snapper, squid, octopus (frozen) and blue fin tuna (but get there early for the tuna). They have other varieties available also, fresh and frozen. If you buy a whole fish, for a nominal fee (20 cents p/lb.) they will filet it or cut it into steaks, whatever you want. But they won't have everything, no one does.

Check them out and start eating more fresh fish!

It's about time I give DeLuca's a review!
This fish market is the only thing that gets me out of the house willingly at 3 in the morning.

DeLuca's is just one of several fish markets located together at the San Pedro docks. I'll buy once in a while from the other vendors, but DeLuca's is my favorite place to go.
Prices vary, but it's still always less expensive than buying from a regular market.

On (early) Saturday mornings, some of the vendors are open to the public. You've got to get there early (3am-7?) to get first pick! Even at 3am, it gets pretty busy there, especially for holidays.

Buying your fish here is waaaay cheaper than going to a traditional market. It's worth staying awake & taking the drive for the great prices.

We first heard about the San Pedro fish markets from my cousin Ron who's a die-hard foodie. He comes with a carload of buddies all the way from Simi Valley. They buy whole fish & divvy it up.

I'm lazy when it comes to food prep.
I love that I can get certain items cleaned & ready to cook or freeze.
We usually buy 20 swai filets to freeze.
http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/j-deluca-fish-company-inc-san-pedro?select=lQDkQ3gzI9LkLGDU-5DbKQ#lQDkQ3gzI9LkLGDU-5DbKQ
We're sashimi freaks. Party times require a chunk of ahi tuna or salmon.
Review bonus- Baked salmon recipe. Brush on some honey and sprinkle norigoma furikake (seaweed mix found at Japanese markets) and bake for around 12 minutes.
Voila! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/j-deluca-fish-company-inc-san-pedro?select=lQDkQ3gzI9LkLGDU-5DbKQ#Ozs9IE6m9K1OcRQxBG_oYw

Other items that might be picked up are shrimp, squid, live crabs, catfish, or whatever else catches our eye. My husband once saw those little baby octopuses that he loves to grill up at K-BBQs. Yeah, that sure was fun for me to figure out how to prep....o_O

Anywho- I highly recommend a visit to the nice folks at DeLuca's!

P.S.-Wear old shoes or flip-flops. Wet floors!

There were several vendors along the dock for the Sat AM "open to the exactly what you expect - a bit smaller than what I expected, but they have fresh fish and easy wholesale-no nonsense approach to diy service. Friendly and knowledgeable, they were our favorite of the five available. They all supply gloves and bags, but now that we went, we recommend you bring a cooler for your fish and park close so you can load and unload between shops.

By far one of best place to buy fish. If you can get there around 2:30,Endless beauties,of
some of still squirming. Bought probably more than I should have now having a dinner party tonight. But just go, even if you don't like fish you will have a new appreciation for it.:-)