Fountain View Fish Market is a time capsule of a neighborhood fish shop offering plates of quality fried seafood at 1980s prices.

2912 Fountain View Dr, Houston, TX 77057

(713) 977-1436

Website

11am–7pm Mon–Sat (closed Sunday)

On one of these raw days of February, we met a friend for lunch at Fountain View Fish Market in Uptown. Greeted by a sparkling case of jewel-like seafood and an interior of 1970s aqua and faux wood paneling, we felt an immediate sense of nostalgia and relief from general work/life stress. Wall-mounted menus touting cheap lunch combinations and the light aroma of frying fish worked a kind of synergistic magic, creating a welcoming atmosphere more than the sum of its parts. And we aren’t alone in succumbing to Fountain View’s bygone charm. During our meal, the cosy dining area of 8 to 10 small, blue Formica-topped tables remained steadily full of lunch-goers. This is a real place: unpretentious, friendly, and in the seafood game for the long haul (36 years according to the sign at the back of the open kitchen).

Fountain View’s uncomplicated menu offers assorted combinations of fried (cat)fish, shrimp, oysters, stuffed crabs, and another friend to the fryer, egg rolls. Lunch combos include a soft drink and two sides (French fries, coleslaw, onion rings, and the aforementioned egg rolls). We each ordered a plate of the fish or shrimp, plus a dozen fried oysters, bringing our total bill to right around $33. Everything was fried to golden perfection in a light cornmeal crust.

The fish ($5.99 for two-piece lunch combo): Everyone loved these fresh, flaky catfish filets covered in a light, crispy coating.

The shrimp ($6.99 for six-piece lunch combo): The battering on these medium-sized shrimp suggested airy, edible lace—as easy to eat as popcorn. One of our group who is very sensitive to shrimp freshness from previous dining mishaps gave these top marks.

The oysters ($11.99 for a dozen with lunch combo): The crispy exterior of these fresh, medium-sized oysters gave way to a molten, super-umami interior. These were good enough that everyone kept count of how many they had consumed in order to avoid any resentment.

Side dishes: Everyone in our group went with fries and coleslaw for their side dishes. The fries tasted just fine for the bagged, frozen variety. Coleslaw is the heavy-on-the-mayo type that many say they prefer the vinegary kind over but secretly love, and Fountain View’s slaw is a stand-up version with crisp cabbage and copious creamy mayonnaise. Yes, we must have experienced a momentary mental lapse in not ordering the egg rolls, but we will next time.

We left Fountain View Fish Market feeling satisfied and ready to take on the rest of the day’s challenges. We loved the friendly service, guilelessly-retro interior, and especially, the no-nonsense menu of perfectly fried seafood. If we have one complaint, a wedge of lemon would complete these plates, along with the complementary sauces the restaurant offers (ketchup, sriracha, Louisiana hot sauce, tartar sauce, and cocktail sauce). To incorporate some acid into the flavors, we went heavy on the hot sauce. Aside from this very minor oversight, we found Fountain View Fish Market to be an enchanting lunch destination.