This seafood subscription service delivers premium seafood

Living close to the ocean has many benefits and easy access to fresh seafood is among the most appealing to me. Growing up, my dad would bribe the local fishermen in exchange for their daily catch to get the freshest fish possible.

Thanks to the internet and expedited cold pack shipping, the “catch of the day” is no longer reserved for coastal residents. From live oysters farmed miles away to caviar canned across the country, I’ve ordered these perishable marine treasures from various specialty seafood sellers. But one retailer really caught my attention— Sizzlefish, a one-stop shop for seafood fans that delivers salmon, tuna, shrimp, and more to your home.

About Sizzlefish

Sizzlefish is an online seafood marketplace that sells a variety of seafood such as salmon, tuna, scallops, shrimp, and more. You can sign up for monthly subscriptions (just like a meat subscription) or order à la carte.

Sizzlefish was founded by people with decades of experience working in the seafood industry. Today, the company offers premium fish, shellfish, and other types of seafood—all eligible for free shipping. Every seafood product is shock-frozen within hours of being caught to maximize freshness once it reaches your door.

What’s it like to order a Sizzlefish seafood subscription?

The website is easy to navigate—a simple click will lead you to all the information you need about each type of fish and the particular cut, which is more convenient than shopping in the seafood section at grocery stores, in my opinion.

Sizzlefish offers tiered subscriptions. Starting at $109, the Wild Seafood Favorites Box includes 10 to 14 portions of wild-caught seafood items, picked by Sizzlefish staff. A $111 Prime Subscription includes your choice of 14 portions of seafood (farm-raised and wild-caught) from the 12-option menu. The next tier up is the Prime Plus ($125 per month), which comes with a slightly wider selection (21 options) of seafood when you build your own box.

It’s important to note that the menu changes every month, as inventory changes depending on what’s caught. So if you’re shopping for something with less demand, you may not be able to find the same fish every month.

I signed up for a three-month Prime Plus subscription.

What I like

Large selection of seafood

Sizzlefish offers a wide variety of seafood, from common salmon and tuna to lesser-known sablefish and rainbow trout. Shrimp and scallops are the only standalone items available in the shellfish category, but there’s an Add-On menu that allows you to tack on mussels, clams, and more to your existing seafood order.

High quality seafood in appropriate portions

After thawing according to the instructions, I made meals out of the seafood I received. The sushi-grade ahi tuna was exceptionally tasty and tender. Even though the tuna was frozen for a while, it retained its texture after thawing, and had a bite to it as if it’d just been caught.

The shrimp had a great texture, superior to the bagged frozen shrimp I’ve purchased before. Overall, I was impressed with the quality and Sizzlefish has really changed my view on frozen seafood.

Sufficient packaging to ensure the safety of food

I didn't realize the importance of styrofoam boxes until my last box was delivered on the day Hurricane Elsa battered the eastern seaboard. The cardboard box was drenched in rain and was falling apart while the styrofoam remained intact.

While gel packs are just fine, I always prefer dry ice for packing frozen fish because it makes for less messy clean-up, and that’s what Sizzlefish uses. Each box contains a note warning about the dry ice and how you should wear protective gear when handling it.

Dry ice is used to keep the contents frozen, even when under the sun for long periods of time. I left one box exposed to the sun for more than 12 hours and everything was still frozen when I finally opened it.

Smooth and prompt delivery

The delivery is fulfilled by FedEx. In my area, FedEx delivers around the same time everyday, and rarely arrives late even on snow days. Plus, I was able to track and predict the delivery each time my box arrived. I left the box on my porch on a particularly hot day just to see what would happen. To my surprise (and relief), the fish products inside the box were still frozen solid.

Attentive customer service

The customer service was prompt and handled all my questions with great detail. I had to make some last-minute changes to my first order and the team was quick to respond so I was able to receive my first box on time.

What I don’t like

The user interface could use some improvements

I didn’t know where to look when I was ready to build my second box. As for most people who want to explore the options, I think Sizzlefish could make changing selections more intuitive and easy to navigate. For me, I had to really look for the place where I could adjust my order. I also wish there was more information about how to return these styrofoam boxes.

I wish there were more whole fish options

Though I like the variety of fish and shellfish I’ve received, I wished there were more whole fish among Sizzlefish’s offerings. At the moment, everything in the subscription selection is in the fillet form. I cook a whole fish weekly, either on the grill or in the steamer, and therefore, offering whole fish will match my shopping habits more accurately.

Is it easy to skip or cancel a Sizzlefish subscription?

Skipping subscriptions is easy. All you need to do is log into your Sizzlefish account and select “Pause.” You can pause up to seven deliveries. However, canceling your subscriptions requires you to email the support team.

What you should know about ordering seafood online

I’ve had mixed experiences when it comes to ordering seafood online, but overall I feel positively. However, there was one incident where I ordered live oysters through another food delivery service and the shellfish arrived in tightened plastic bags. Of course, the poor bivalves all died as they had no way to breathe.

That being said, it’s important to find companies with expertise in aquaculture and logistics. Places like Sizzlefish—with its management team’s collective 120 years in the industry—are better positioned to deliver high quality seafood without issue.

I also want to shine light on the general misconception that frozen seafood is necessarily inferior to the fresh options you see at the supermarket. If you defrost frozen seafood properly, it should taste just as good as the freshly caught version, for big fish. In fact, many of the seafood options you see at the grocery store are defrosted prior to being put on display, which is typically noted on a placard near the product.

Is the Sizzlefish seafood subscription worth it?

If you’re a diehard seafood lover, you’ll love the variety and quality of the products Sizzlefish offers. As each Prime box comes with 14 portions, you’ll always have lots of choices to pick from if you go with this subscription tier. Sizzlefish also makes customer experience its top priority. For instance, if you’re ordering for people who are new to home delivered seafood, each box comes with tips on how to properly thaw the frozen products, as well as recipe cards to help you explore new dishes.

Sign up for Sizzlefish’s seafood subscription starting at $109 per month