Fishmonger Brings Raw Bar Delights, Frozen Drinks, and Major Patio Vibes to Kirkwood

Six months after finding big success with their seafood market and cafe Fishmonger in Poncey-Highland, Skip Engelbrecht (8ARM) and Nhan Le (8ARM, So Ba, Octopus Bar) and chef Bradford Forsblom are poised to open a second, much larger location this week in Kirkwood. And this one serves cocktails and includes seating for nearly 100 people on the patio.

Taking over building seven next door to restaurant Dailies and Sides at the Pratt Pullman District on Rogers Street, Fishmonger opens with a limited dinner menu Thursday, October 27, followed by full-service dinner and drinks Friday, October 28. A daily happy hour offers half-off oysters from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Lunch takes place Friday through Sunday, starting at 12 p.m., and the bar remains open late nightly.

Like the Poncey-Highland location, people order at the counter before taking a seat with their number. Servers deliver food and then float around the dining room and patio taking additional orders.

Engelbrecht describes this Fishmonger as “super family friendly”, while still retaining the hip vibe for which he and Le are known for creating at their other restaurants via the music, relaxed atmosphere, and design. The Pratt Pullman location also includes both a raw bar and cocktail bar seating around five people each, with another 20 seats at tables in the dining room. The majority of the seating is outdoors on the 100-seat patio, part of which is covered and offers fire pits for cooler evenings.

Skip Engelbrecht

Unlike in Poncey-Highland, Fishmonger at Pratt Pullman doesn’t feature a seafood market. However, Engelbrecht says they may consider introducing a market if demand is there and do plan to begin offering seafood for sale on the weekends from a cart on the patio some time in November.

Forsblom isn’t straying from what’s currently working on the menu in Poncey-Highland, keeping the food at Pratt Pullman similar with delicate filets of blackened grouper, fresh oysters, crudos, and seafood salads, chowders, and sandwiches. Look for seafood towers and around eight daily specials, too, including sandwiches like the hot catfish and the Frankenstein roll with chunks of hot buttered crab and lobster.

“Our specials board at Fishmonger has really grown, so the menu is bigger now and includes like eight specials,” Engelbrecht says. “We’re going to do the same here, but expand a bit more on the raw bar menu.”

Caleb Grubb, who worked behind the bar at the Mercury and 8ARM, steps up as beverage director for the Pratt Pullman location and also oversees front of house operations. Expect beer, wine, cocktails, and frozen drinks from the bar.

With construction on the building completed and all of the necessary permits in place, Engelbrecht says the design process for the restaurant moved fairly quickly, allowing them to turn around and open at Pratt Pullman just three months after securing the space.

Early next year, the trio will open Small Fry at Atlanta Dairies on Memorial Drive, a counter-service restaurant featuring a walk-up window serving fried chicken and fried fish sandwiches, falafel burgers, fish nuggets, and shrimp baskets. And Engelbrecht, Le, and Forsblom might not be done opening other Fishmongers in Atlanta, including locations in Buckhead and on Atlanta’s westside.

“It’s been crazy between opening Fishmonger this spring and then this location a few months later,” says Engelbrecht. “Fishmonger one is still doing so well, it’s like, let’s go and strike while the iron is hot.”

Skip Engelbrecht

Fishmonger, 225 Rogers Street, Atlanta. Free, separate parking. Enter at the corner Rogers Street.

Kitchen open Monday and Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday - Sunday, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. Bar open late each night. Fishmonger currently closed Tuesday and Wednesday.