If you didn't already know or expected it, be ready for some fine dining a.k.a. beautifully plated dishes and smaller portions (compared to most of today's standards anyway). I can see how this would be a great place for a romantic dinner and the potential for a great experience, but unfortunately we did not have a good experience. The Good: - I thought the service after we were seated was very good. Waitresses came around every so often to refill waters and check on our alcohol levels. - Food was delicious and plated very nicely (see pics). Flavors were there without being to overpowering and easy on the palate. My gf and I got the smoked salmon, hanger steak, and grilled tuna. The hanger steak was cooked to the tee at a medium rare. - The pre-dinner bread was quite tasty as well. I devoured two of them before we started ordering. I think they had two kinds - plain and rosemary. - BYOB's are always a plus to cut some of the alcohol costs The Bad: - My friends and I came here to have a birthday celebration with a party of 9. It got off to a bad start since we had to wait 45 minutes even though we had a reservation. The waiting area isn't big and a few of us had to wait outside while it was snowing (this was back in February). - This was a first for me, so this took me by surprise big time! Be warned that if you bring your own cake, they charge an $8/plate fee. I hate to make myself sound cheap, but with the amount of money already being spent, I thought this was a bit ridiculous. This was the biggest turn off for me. With two cakes already in hand, we weren't going to ask to have it packed back up and leave. - The place is small as well, so there's not a lot of wiggle room to navigate throughout the restaurant. Overall, I wish I had a better experience, but I won't be in a rush to come back anytime soon. read more

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We had a great meal here recently and opted for the 5 course tasting menu. Everything was delicious, but really liked the tuna crude, king salmon, and the duck ( which was actually incredible). The service was actually just as good or better than the food. They were so unbelievably attentive, refilling when on cue, and clearing plates appropriately. They had the scallop tasting menu, but we opted for the classic so next time hopefully we can get a themed one. read more

The food and service was good but... We got the 7 course tasting menu at this fine seafood establishment expecting some seafood. Wrong! 1. Gazpacho, was delicious 2. Sea bass ceviche - winner! 3. Foie gras 4. Beef short rib taco 5. Duck breast, was pretty chewy 6. Cheese 7. Dessert Only one small appetizer course contained seafood. I would not have ordered the tasting menu had I known this but our server would not tell us what was on the tasting menu. She said it's whatever the chef is feeling, which is usually a slam dunk but not here. read more

This one is a long overdue review! Found it sitting in my review drafts! Great food, wonderful staff & especially love the ambiance of the restaurant! Really enjoyed each and every course. See photos for art-like arrangements of food. read more

Came here for Mother's Day. The food was almost too pretty to eat! Everything was tasty. Its a great spot to take a loved one. read more

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Let me start off by saying that this place comes closer to a 5-star than to a 4-star. Nevertheless in my world, the bar to achieve a 5-star is prettyyyyy high and Blackfish falls just a little short of those standards. My wife and I were here last evening for our anniversary dinner. We reserved our spot using OpenTable and it certainly didn't hurt that they were offering 1,000 points for booking on OpenTable. We had been in the area just a few days back to dine at another restaurant and so were aware of the fact that most places (including Blackfish) do not have attached parking and street parking is what one has to look for. We therefore left a bit of time to spare but street parking was easy to find that evening and we found ourselves at the restaurant sharp at 9 p.m., the time of our reservation and were promptly seated. Part of the reason for having chosen BF was that they have a 4-course tasting menu on Tuesdays and last evening's tasting menu centered around prawn, one of my favorite items. Therefore, my choice was made simple - I went for the 4-course tasting menu. For my wife, she was interested in trying things off the menu and she went with a smoked salmon appetizer and lamb saddle for the main course. My first course was a chilled sweet pea soup with lemongrass, coconut, and prawns. It was brought out at the same time as my wife's appetizer. My second course was comprised of toasted almond milk, black quinoa, smoked marjoram, again with prawns. I found both of these dishes to be excellent and it whetted my appetite. However, the third course (the entree) was somewhat disappointing. The centerpiece of that dish was pork belly and I did not enjoy having it one bit. It was hard to cut through, appeared under-seasoned, and had its edges overcooked. Everything else on the plate, e.g. grilled zucchini was excellent and the sauce (I believe romesco) was one to die for. My final course was dessert comprised of Strawberry Gazpacho. While it tasted great, the presentation was a tad underwhelming. Overall though, I was very satisfied with my meal and had to work hard to stop myself from licking the sauce off the plates - the sauces were just that good. My wife's experiences were also very positive when it came to the food. Besides the items I mentioned, she got beignets (donuts) for dessert and those came with a side of molten chocolate and raspberry jam, both great accompaniments to the donuts. The food was complemented with wonderful service. Our servers were very polite and attentive to details. I would go as far as saying that the service was distinctive. I had made a note on OpenTable that this was our anniversary dinner and the server brought out a candle with the desserts. My wife, who had ordered the lamb, had failed to mention that she wanted it well-done and so when it came out cooked medium, she brought it to our server's notice and it was promptly corrected. In the end, great food and great service don't come for free. This place certainly delivers a culinary experience that more than justifies the price tag it comes with. I wouldn't hesitate going back again to the restaurant and being impressed by their culinary skills and wonderful service. read more

Blackfish - A view of the dining area - New American Near Me - Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Love that it's a BYO which allows you to spend the money on the food. Service was good, it was Friday night and the place was packed. The oysters were great with this carbonaylemon foam on them. The risotto and bouillabaisse were also excellent. Portions are small so order accordingly. My friend and I split everything which left room for yummy beignets for desert. read more

Blackfish - Oysters presented on a (no edible!) nest - New American Near Me - Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

So if you don't read my reviews, something to know about me is I'm ALWAYS on the hunt for a good byob restaurant. If I can find one and avoid looking for parking in center city, issa double win; so I went to blackfish for the first time like five years ago. We had no idea it was byob and it was a Sunday evening so we couldn't even get wine. This time I did not make that same mistake. They were offering a "Tasting of Prawns" menu which was offered at $50 per person for four course. We ordered two which came with prawn ceviche which was good but veryyyy small, grilled whole prawns, seared prawns with a citrus twist and dessert was raspberry filled beignets. In addition to the two prawns tastings, we ordered off the a la carte menu and tried to ravioli di bergamo which was served in a brown butter sauce. I didn't like the filling but I loved the brown butter sauce. I think it would have been just fine with a cheese filling. The rack of lamb was tender, cooked amazing and such a good cut of meat. The short rib was flavorful and braised so well. The scallops were my absolutely fave though. I just wished they had a more hearty accompaniment like risotto. We finished with the cinnamon sugar beignets and the warm chocolate cake. It was like a 25-30 min wait for dessert to be ordered, but it's a BYOB so we had some things there to kill time with. Desserts was fine. The portions of food are definitely more quality than quantity, so we had to stop at El Limon after LOL. But overall it is a good place to try. I would give it a 4 out of 5 read more

Blackfish - Lamb - New American Near Me - Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

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An outstanding culinary experience. I started with the octopus but had to try my friend's foie gras soup. The soup was rich, velvety and had solid flavor. My first course was excellent as well. I asked the server about the preparation and discovered that it is marinated and cooked for 24 hours. It was tender and full of luscious flavors. Three folks at the table had ordered the chicken and the chef put together three different presentations. I chose the salmon confit. It had the texture of a medium rare preparation and was amazing. A must visit for those heading to conshy! read more

I have eaten at Blackfish several years ago and remembered that I thought it was a fine seafood restaurant. I returned here for my wife's birthday, and was very disappointed. The service was top notch, but the main dining room had no noise buffering and the noise from no more than 20 other diners made it very difficult to hear. If you did not raise your voice, a person across the table could not understand you. That alone would remove 2 stars from my review. But let's get to the food. The fois gras appetizer was delicious; a large tranch, perfectly seared with a small amount of a fruity sauce. My appetizer of burrata was underwhelming at best. It came with delicious cut-up tomatoes and fruit, nicely dressed. But the burrata was tasteless: no cheese aroma at all, just a chewy accompanyment to the tomatoes. I then ordered the fisherman's stew, one of my favorite dishes. It looked lovely upon presentation. The soup was the appropriate brown, swimming with nice chunks of fish and an oyster on top. However, most of the fish was salmon, which certainly does not belong in a seafood stew, as it is too strong a flavor and it overpowers all the other tastes. I removed the salmon, and found only a few other pieces of white fish. But the worst thing was the broth. It looked fine, but it was thin and tasteless, with no hint of the sea. I cannot understand how you can make such an elegant looking dish with a broth that is almost tasteless. I must also report, to their credit, that the duck breast was excellent. The prices are a bit stiff, as $100 a couple is not that far from normal for a fine place these days, but with Philadelphia so near, I have much better places to choose from. read more

Can't believe we are just coming upon this little gem just now! My fiancé and I were celebrating his birthday dinner and got the oysters and tuna tartare to start, mushroom risotto (highly recommend!) and foie gras, and the swordfish cauliflower and tuna curry mains. The flavor profiles and balance between fat/acid was on point. Hats off to the chef! read more

This place keeps Conshy from sliding into despair. Just perfect portions and tasty dishes in an unfussy, yet elegant vibe that always results in a good time. Been here a number of times and have always enjoyed the food. Last time the service for beverages was a bit off. No ice for champagne or white wine we brought :( Please don't ever close! read more

Blackfish - Well enjoyed Molten chocolate cake and spiced pumpkin ice cream. - New American Near Me - Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

Sublime! Our first time here and what a treat. The atmosphere amidst all the COVID restrictions was warm and inviting. Whether dining outside or inside, the wait staff was so attentive and friendly. It's no wonder Blackfish is so highly rated. From the minute we sat down at this jewel BYOB, we were transported. To start, the olives and focaccia were an inviting prelude that may have fooled you into thinking the meal was going to be good but basic. However, it did not portend what was to come. Fried green tomatoes with kimchi aioli were crisp and full of flavor. The chicken liver mousse with homemade strawberry jam and onions was so rich it had me closing my eyes. This was a tough act to follow, but the entrees did not disappoint. The duck breast had a wonderful cherry accompaniment. The seared tuna sat atop the freshest corn imaginable with chimichurri and blistered shishito peppers. So inventive but not overdone. And it would have been a sin not to save room for dessert. The sugary poppy seed beignets were warm and pillowy and came with two sauces - velvety white chocolate and strawberry. We also indulged in the salted caramel pannacotta with blueberries. It was worth every calorie! Veronica, Kemet, Nancy and Carla made us newcomers feel so at home. And the kitchen clearly didn't miss a beat. My only question.....how soon can we come back. read more

Tried 7course tasting menu. Was $90 before tax so it is great deal for decent tasting. Right after had huge disappointment from il Pittore's super salty tasting menu, I was pretty satisfied with this place. They serve fresh oyster and tofu cream dish for amuse bouche. Had crudo with yuzu, chicken liver mousse, chestnut ravioli with mushroom foam I believe, seared salmon and braised beef dish. They were all delicious. I didn't have much expectation for this restaurant to be honest but I though all dishes were yummy! For dessert courses they served cheese plate, raspberry jelly donut which was meh... then finish with goat cheese mousse which was great. Since main dishes were so delicious, dessert was little weak but overall satisfied meal for sure. read more

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I wish I had tried this place without the extremely high expectation that comes with knowing it was ranked #1 by Philly Magazine (http://www.phillymag.com/restaurants/the_philly_mag_50/index.html). It is a wonderful place nonetheless. We came for lunch so the menu seemed much shorter and affordable. My bf and I split the steak frites and he had the chicken pot pie while I had the "fish du jour" (rainbow trout...we were very hungry!). The steak frites came out medium well instead of the medium rare I asked for. I'm pretty sure I enunciated the "well" distinctly to not get it confused. But I thought the steak was seasoned amazingly and the fries were delicious. The wait staff seems quite young and down-to-earth, the same type of servers you would find at your local bar, but dressed up in nicer clothes. We had this amazingly obnoxious guy sitting next to us talking very loudly about the millions of dollars he has throughout his entire lunch. I hope the guy eating with him was his accountant because I don't know who else would be willing to sit through that. I would stop by again if I'm in the area but wouldn't go out of my way unfortunately since Philly has so many great eats downtown :) read more

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The food was good but very different. If you do not like different types of entrees I would not recommend. If you get reservations ask to sit in the back, the front is very tight. read more

This is an amazing find outside of Philadelphia's restaurant scene. Ive eaten here many times over the last 10 years or so, and I don't think I've had one bad meal here. The dishes are well planned and always expertly executed. The food is fresh, seasonal, and memorable. The space can be a bit cramped, and the staff is occasionally a bit unpolished, but neither detracts from the experience. Being a BYOB also makes the meal a good deal, so I definitely recommend this gem. read more

Made a reservation for a birthday dinner for 2 and decided to go big and get the 7 course tasting option. I can't put into enough words just how good it was. It pushed my own personal boundaries with the foods I thought I didn't enjoy and after every dish I was left wanting more. While the restaurant is small the atmosphere is still intimate and relaxing. The staff was incredible and left us wanting and needing for nothing. This place is well worth what you'll pay, I can't wait to go back again! read more

I normally do between 4 to 5 for restaurants 5 being a great place and 4 being a good place., but they get 3 because this place is really overrated!!!! Food is awful!!!! Not good at all . The plates are small therefore I expect every little piece to be tasteful and rich ... well this is not the gourmet place you want to come. I will rather drive 20 more minutes into the city than eat here again. Waiter was great, but the manager was bad!! We had the tasting menu and they serve us 4 plates where 2 of the last courses were venison... I felt like for the amount of money you spend at this place, you don't expect to get the cheapest meat twice!!! And not even in a creative way. The manager tried to solve our critic with one $20 dl gift card. Omg! What a slap in the face! Never going back! Bad bad bad. I rather go to Tinto pay little more but I am never disappointed there. read more

We should have known better than to come here for the first time on a holiday (Sat before Valentine's Day), but we heard great things and wanted to give it a try. It's hard to judge a restaurant based on a holiday prefix menu, but at over $200 (with tip) for two people, I feel obligated to write a review based on how awful this experience was. Service barely registered. No greeting or hello from the very (seemingly) upset hostess. No music playing, no smile or greeting from anyone working here. I get it, it's the Saturday before V Day, but this place was completely joyless. The whole place felt stuffy and the staff, pretentious. They sat us in front of the door and as the entrance quickly backed up with guests, the door frequently opened adding to the already cold atmosphere.. The first and seconds courses were good. The first, a carrot soup and scallop ceviche were decent. Nothing special. The second, an octopus dish, was phenomenal. The other second course, a risotto, good, but nothing unique. The entrees.. Oh the entrees. So bad. So so bad. A beef dish that was so cold and so incredibly salty we would have been better off eating jerky. A seared grouper that was so undercooked in the center it should have been labeled as sushi. We sent back. Wife got the chicken and I got the grouper again, just requested it to be cooked properly. Grouper came back perfectly seared and cooked throughout, however incredibly over seasoned and salty. At this point, I ate it anyway. It was a fresh piece of fish, but nearly inedible from the salt. Wife got the chicken. Tasted like processed chicken from a salad bar at a fast food restaurant. Or really awful wedding food. Served in small circle-brick like shapes. Of course, they were salty, fatty, cold and rubbery. Totally unacceptable for this price point. Bus boy took away the entire plate of unfinished chicken with no follow up from our server Desserts were great. Key like parfait and beignets . I might come here again for a cup of coffee, some octopus and dessert. But dinner? Not again. read more

We had a beautiful dinner to celebrate my father's birthday, here at Blackfish this past week. Not much to say besides service, comfort, and ESPECIALLY the food, absolutely five stars. One of the cooks used to come and buy produce from me when I worked at a local farm and I had always wants to come and experience the food for myself. I am so glad I did, even after I moved away from the area! My family will definitely be back again. Thank you for delicious food and a pleasant experience! read more

This was an amazing experience. The size of the restaurant is a little small, so do expect that. We were unaware of this, but if you've dined in major cities before you'll have likely experienced this before. That out of the way, we ordered the 5 course tasting experience, and it was divine. I highly recommend giving this a try. We both were worried that we wouldn't have enough to eat, but we were so wrong. The portions were perfect, and every course was out-of-this-world delicious. Our servers were rotating to cover all tables, which was certainly fine, and every one of them deserves credit for their friendliness and professionalism. If I had only one minor issue it would be table service was lacking. They did not know how to properly set a table, or to allow one to sample the wine before pouring a glass for each of us at the table. Honestly, neither are things that we are going to knock points for, especially given how spectacular the evening went, but if the owners read this and want any information for improvement, that would be my only suggestion. We can't wait to return for our next culinary adventure. I would definitely recommend the smoked salmon wrapped around a fried egg, if it is on the menu when you dine with Blackfish. I don't know how often the menu changes, but I did notice a number of photos of that dish, and if it is a mainstay, there is absolutely every reason on earth to order it. read more

"Very good." This was my response almost every time our server asked about our dinner on Friday night. I became aware of this after the second or third time saying it, and then later my boyfriend pointed out that there was one time that I simply said, "good." It was during the main course. More on that later. We were seated at a cozy two top in the second room, and service was near perfect throughout the night. To start, a choice between focaccia or sourdough, with olive oil. The focaccia was delicious. An amuse bouche of chilled soup was forgettable - in fact, I don't remember the flavors at all. Our first course was a yellowtail tuna sashimi and gazpacho. Both were incredibly light and had bright flavors. The tuna had a slight spicy kick and the components of the dish were spot on. A second course had us enjoying short-rib stuffed ravioli in brown butter sauce and seared scallops with salsa verde. For me, the scallops won out ever so slightly but my date felt the same way about the ravioli. It was a win-win course. At this point we were both very excited about the entrees, but I was sadly a bit disappointed with mine. The skate wing was presented with a crispy exterior, but the outskirts were rolled under and had a really undercooked appearance and lacked the texture of the exposed area. The peas and country ham bits underneath were a little boring. I left a large piece of the fish untouched. The grilled yellowtail tuna was significantly better, with a nicely seasoned crust and a delicious tomato salad served alongside. Next, we shared a cheese course with Morbier, a French blue and a mild brie. The temperature was just warm enough to bring out the flavors, which were enhanced by accompanying spreads and served with crusty sourdough slices. Finally, a round of warm, sugary beignets which were served with a raspberry sauce and a creamy creme anglaise. These were delightful if a bit unnecessary at that point in the meal. But date nights are special and a shared dessert is par for the course. Overall, the meal was very good. read more

Downgrade, still very good, but not exceptional, I'll tell you why. -- Hold out your hand and look at your pinkie finger. Now imagine a serving of the foie gras as small as that for $18. It actually was in the shape of your smallest finger too. The shape kind of blew the normal excellent presentation you get with every plate here. Yea, yea, yea, the flavor was wonderful with the rhubarb, brioche, yada yada yada. -- The fluke crudo was actually a tough, not tender at all, piece of fluke, hard to cut through the veins, and the pieces were too large to eat without being cut. So it was a fight. This dish was disappointing. -- My entree was excellent, except for one thing. I ordered the Amish chicken. It was amazingly tender and flavorful, and the presentation divine, however the skin could have been a bit crispy. Soft, wet skin on the outside of a chicken is not desirable in my book. My friend had the striped bass with fava beans. This was so delicious, and anything alongside fava beans is accompanied appropriately. OK, for the finish, nothing beats the beignets. Trust me on this one. Delectable, soft, sweet, perfect with caramel and raspberry dipping sauces. I could eat these all day. The place still is tight with servers racing by your table to service others. No one bumped me this time, and our server was excellent as always. And, btw, the $2 corkage fee is new I think. No big deal, Tiramisu, that 3 star place in Berwyn charges $5, so suck it up. read more

I haven't been there since it first opened but felt I should chime in. I was there on V'day around '06 or '07. It was a Prix Fixe menu. The food was astonishing. It was probably the best food I had ever tasted up until that point in my life and certainly opened the doors to my very expensive palate that it is today. I couldn't even tell you what dish I had but it doesn't matter because everything was flawless. I even saw Jesus Christ in the back kitchen walk over some water and watched it turn to wine which in itself normally would have impressed me but I was more concerned with how good the desert was going to be. Obviously for french food the portions weren't what you would consider gut busters but there is a person that walks around with a bread tray so keep a sharp eye on him and you'll be ok. I'm anxious to go back and see if it has improved, which would be spectacular. read more

(disclaimer: delayed review - ate here more than a month ago!) I am floored. Three weeks or so after my husband and I had an AMAZING meal here (english pea soup, oysters, bouillabaise, short ribs..), with equally killer service from Nina, we got.. A THANK YOU CARD! A Blackfish Thank You card! Handwritten by Nina, foodie server, herself! It was pretty much the coolest thing ever - she just wrote about how she enjoyed having fun foodie people at the restaurant. But seriously, it only made our awesome experience even cooler. I can't wait to go back, maybe later in the evening one night so we can try the late-night prix-fixe menu. Yay, Blackfish! read more

My daughters and their significant others took me here to celebrate my birthday. They refused to even let me see the bill which is a pretty big deal for them considering of course that everyone is struggling to pay bills and save a few bucks these days. I suppose that's why I feel so bad not giving this restaurant at least 4 stars. With that being said I'll move on to just why I can't. I've said before that I just love the emerging trend of chef's tasting menus. The idea of being able to just get a small taste of many menu items without getting stuffed is quite appealing to me. However, at Blackfish, the portion you get is tasting menu sized at a dinner menu price. I was shocked by the size of my foie gras appetizer. It was literally the size of a silver dollar. The same could be said for everyone else's first and second courses. I know everyone left the restaurant hungry and for what the bill came to (yes, I did squeeze it out of my daughter. Bad me) no one should have. This is not to say the our meal wasn't designed and executed beautifully. It was. The staff was attentive and sweet. And yes, it's nice that it's a BYOB but a corkage fee? Really? That really bothered me. Kind of like when you get your cable bill and notice all of the little things they charge you for. Just because. On a brighter note, since I don't eat sweets, I was pleased to see a beautiful cheese plate offered for desert. On a whole, I won't rush back. My husband and I aren't cheap by any stretch of the word and while I am not looking to have to undo my belt after a meal, I do not want to leave a restaurant feeling like I've just been robbed by a smiling face. read more

Fantastic service and nice atmosphere for a fancy dinner meal, but it seems a little pricey for what you get in terms of quantity and flavor. Plating is beautiful though. read more

Blackfish - New American Near Me - Conshohocken, Pennsylvania

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Meh. Went here last night with a group for the lobster tasting menu and was quite disappointed. The tasting menu was four courses and out of them, the dessert was both the tastiest and largest. The menu started with an amusee bouche of lobster soup - to me it tasted like seafood broth, and lacked the interesting flavor combination that a single bite should contain. Next up was the lobster crepe with peas and mushrooms - it was a tiny, lukewarm portion. There was very little lobster and the flavors didn't at all compliment each other. It needed seasoning badly. Next was the lobster tagliatelle - also lukewarm, also flavorless, also teeny tiny. Next was the lobster tail which was - at least - heated up. However, again the plate lacked flavor and the portion size was way, way small. A tail with two bites worth of meat is more like a langoustine, no? Finally dessert - two nicely sized beignets filled with raspberry jam. The largest portion we had all night and very good (but perhaps this is only because we were all famished?) All in all, this was not a great experience for me. I didn't enjoy the food and certainly did not feel it was worth the $45 pricetag. I could have eaten more at the sample tables at Costco. That said, it is clear that this restaurant can deliver some quality fare and the service was excellent. I would give Blackfish another shot, but would not opt in for the tasting menu. read more

I will keep this short and to the point. First off, what is the point of making a reservation a week and a half in ADVANCE, only to find that they call to confirm if you can come in 30 minutes later?? As a restaurant and esp on nights that you promote the special "tasting menus", it would make sense that you can manage your table turnovers to accommodate ALL of your reservations in a timely manner. Please don't tell me that your 530pm seating cannot be out by 700pm so that your 715pm can be seated. I'm sorry, I have worked in a much higher end restaurants and we never seemed to have a problem with turning tables to accommodate our guests WITH RESERVATIONS. IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE NUMBERS THEN DON'T TAKE THE RESERVATIONS!!!!!! And please don't call your guests 1 day before the reservation to ask them to change their reservation time. I appreciate Chef Roman's culinary skills but REALLY?? This experience just left a bad taste in my mouth. No, thank you. I cancelled my reservation and will never go back. I expected more from Chef Roman and his staff. read more

We had such a delicious, memorable, and elegant dinner here! We decided to go with the 5 course - chef's menu. It was an excellent choice. If you're planning to go for a date, I'd request the window closest to the street as it's a great place to not only enjoy the inner decor, but to do a little people watching. While, you're absolutely paying for what you get, I think the price is very reasonable (it's not a place you'll go each week!). Their choice of bread, choice of fresh fish, oysters, and vegetables, matched with the extremely adventurous entrees made this a dinner I will not soon forget. Oh yeah, AND it's BYOB! :) Mr. Best was an amazingly friendly and knowledgeable waiter, and we cannot wait to go again!! read more

I was trying to find a place for my sister's birthday dinner, and although I had made reservations at 2 places in the city, she wanted me to come to Conshy. So I looked at yelp, and I remembered that I had wanted to try Black Fish. And am I glad I did. We were seated right away, and although we were the last table to be seated (8pm), we did not feel rushed in the least. I ordered the chef's tasting menu, where he picks one ingredient and highlights it throughout four courses. It was like being a judge on my own personal Iron Chef. The secret ingredient is...tomato. First course was gazpacho, while I am not usually a fan, this soup was great. It was spicy with finely diced bell peppers in it. Poured table side. Second dish was grilled sardines with a roasted tomato and sauteed broccoli rabe I believe. It was good, and not too oily or weird on the fish. I could have used another tomato. Third course was a BLT. Pork belly, with a tomato sauce, and medium rare pork tenderloin. It was awesome. The crust on the tenderloin was amazing. Final course of that sampler was white tomato water ice, served with blueberries, and a balsamic reduction. It was very refreshing. Being the big eater that I am, I also ordered an entree, plus I figured we could all share plates. I got the house specialty, the bouillabaisse. It was fantastic. I couldn't stop sopping up the broth, which had a rich amazing saffron flavor, that was so good, I swore there was veal stock in there. I actually ate 3 pieces of bread just putting the hurt on that dish. It had mussels, clams, a large whole shrimp, a scallop, mahi mahi, halibut, and skate. Uh. So good. Other diners at the table started with the Salmon wrapped fried quail egg, the salad terrine., which was an artistic masterpiece, and the steak tartare with 61 degree quail egg. Everything was top notch. For main courses, they had surf and turf, which was an incredibly delicious short rib, with the thickest glaze of barbeque I have ever tasted. It was like tar, in a good way. The potatoes and scallops served with it were divine. The halibut was delicious, and the sea bream with curry sauce was also quite nice. For dessert (besides my tomato water ice), they ordered homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream, which got mixed reviews because it was obviously made with tons of fresh mint, and some felt it was over whelming. I was a fan. And the creme brulee. It was some of the best I have had. All in all, yes its a bit noisy, but its intimate. It is a great BYOB with great service, and even though we were the last party to leave, we did not feel rushed in the least. I will certainly be back. (Money permitting) read more

Note: I wrote the following email to the restaurant and never heard back from them. So I'm posting it on Yelp. While this place may be a big deal for Conshohocken, you could do better at a million places in Center City. The first thing I noticed on the menu was that there is no vegetarian item on it except for the frisee salad. The waitress informed me that the chef would make me a vegetable plate, however, so all was not lost. With the frisee salad and vegetable plate, I'd be OK. The frisee salad was fine. A pretty basic salad. When my vegetable plate arrived, the first thing I thought was that it wasn't enough food! It looked like a child's portion of beautifully arranged food. A few fava beans, some pea puree, two dollops of quinoa, and tiny mushrooms. Not being full, I ordered dessert (the frozen white chocolate), which was lovely and satisfying. But the kicker came when I got the bill. I was charged $25 for the tiny vegetable place, compared to the $15 my companion was charged for her scallops/2nd course. My entree was nearly as much as two of the fish entrees. Really? Come on! Fish costs a lot more than those vegetables! I request that you consider your menu from a vegetarian's perspective. Either bulk up the vegetable plate, reduce the cost, or come up with a hearty entree (on the menu) that makes the vegetarian diner feel both welcome and satisfied. As it stands now, Blackfish is really not vegetarian friendly. When I see a menu that has no vegetarian dinner, I surmise that the restaurant really doesn't consider my business important. read more

I am a HUGE fan of the food here - my girlfriend and her husband are regulars here. The service is impeccable, and they have never made us feel rushed at any moment - we've arrived an hour late for our reservations before and they have been very accommodating. Very small space in a very charming town - if I lived in the vicinity I would be a regular here. We make it a point to have dinner here every time I visit Philly. We started off our meal with the smoked salmon with deep fried quail egg, and Japanese hamachi with kiwi and yuzu sauce. The smoked salmon was wrapped around the deep friend quail egg, which was just perfectly soft cooked - the yolk oozed out as we cut into the mound of smoked salmon, which was promptly sopped up by the sourdough we had each chosen as our bread that night. I never would have thought to pair an egg with smoked salmon - my girlfriend normally hates smoked salmon, but she ate every bite of this dish with me. The hamachi was amazing as expected, and the kiwi added a nice touch in rounding out the delicate fish. Our next course, their foie gras creme brulee with caramelized bananas. Oh... my... god. Single best dish I've had in a while. Never thought to pair foie gras with bananas before, and it was... just... amazing. You get that blissfully creamy texture with the foie gras, and that slight crunch and sweetness with the bananas, topped on a toasted brioche... So good. SO GOOD. You have to get this dish when you go. It's just... so good. The lobster won tons and the meat filled purses were also delightful. I love that sage browned butter the meaty pastas were tossed with - we had to ask for more bread to sop up the browned butter once we had cleaned off the pasta. And for the main course... we shared the Bouillabaisse and the "Surf and Turf" - the tenderest short ribs ever, and perfectly seared scallops. Even more bread was asked for the yummy Bouillabaisse. We were STUFFED after this feast plus the bottle of wine we had brought along for our meal (I love that they're BYOB), but couldn't resist the dessert menu. We always order the beignets, we love them. They're just... fancy homemade donuts that you dip into vanilla or raspberry sauce. They come warm to the touch and perfectly puffed with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar. We don't get to meet up much, so we also added a creme brulee and the molten chocolate cake, which had a side of homemade pumpkin ice cream. We practically had to be rolled out of there... but it was just SO good. Five stars. From two self proclaimed foodies who are also foodies by profession. read more

This restaurant rivals any fine dining place you'd expect on NYC's Upper East side. Small space, crammed with tables, deafeningly loud and pricey. The food, however is very well prepared and they use top-quality ingredients. The signature app. - thinly sliced smoked salmon wrapped around a panko-crusted poached egg topped with a razor-thin crispy potato "chip", microgreens in a tangy vanaigrette and a bitt of maldon salt. WOW. (And for $14 it better be!). DH had the pork belly with came with a delicious jus and a golden raisin puree (which on paper grosses me out - but actually tasted ok.) and topped with a quarter-sized "slice" of mustard gelee (eew. sorry - gelee is also not a big hit for me.) DH also had the trout entree which was perfection on a plate - sided with creamy pureed cauliflower. I opted for foie gras app in lieu of an entree - which made me feel like I needed gall bladder surgery. Wow - so fattening - I literally only ate half. (It was a scoop of foie with a "liquid center" of cherries.) The brioche toast to spread it on was heavenly as well. After all that fat we just couldn't handle dessert - but the table behind us had fresh begneits which looked amazing. We brought our own wine and the bill was still nearly $100 (and I had 2 apps - no entree). Wow that's kinda steep for a BYO. Service was top-notch - especially Jackie our server who catered to our every whim. A few things make it so I just can't give them 5 stars - namely the price for what you get. They have Manhattan prices in Coshohocken. Imagine! Meanwhile the place was packed, and the decor and service are great - if you can handle the crowded digs and the noise. I would definitely go back, but I would not RUSH back. It is worth ONE trip out from Center City to see if you like it. After that - judge for yourself. Oh - and they cater - but man am I scared to imagine that bill. read more

BYO in the Suburbs!! OK.. so take a city girl out of the city for dinner and instantly i am turned off by the notion... I was very skeptical of this place, its the suburbs for crying out loud, what do they know about food?!? ;) well let me tell you... Blackfish totally impressed!! 4 of us total... We started the meal with the following: wild striped bass 'crudo,' daikon, yuzu kosho, navel orange applewood smoked scottish salmon, crispy potato, "fried egg," mizuna hudson valley foie gras terrine, gingerbread, raisin, granny smith gently cooked day boat scallops, pomegranate, chicory, bartlett pear roasted bone marrow, brook trout roe, crostini All of which were very good except we wern't too fussed with the bone marrow... Next we had: pekin duck, mustard greens, quinoa, parsnip puree dorade royale, michigan chestnuts, caraway, napa cabbage, bacon lancaster county poulard, butternut squash, cipollini onions, shittake mushrooms cape may skate wing, beluga lentils, frisee, mustard jus The Poulard was AMAZING!! The duck and the skate were great too.. I am wasn't to big on the Dorade royale but everything else was fantastic! Dessert: cinnamon-sugar beignets, english cream, raspberry warm chocolate cake, home-made gelato BEIGNETS were OMG DELICIOUS!!! PHEW that was a lot.. needless to say we totally enjoyed our experience at Blackfish and will definitely return!! GO SUBURBS!! :) read more

We came here tonight with very high expectations, as I'm sure is the norm at this point for a dinner at Blackfish. Tonight all of those expectations were met or exceeded, and for considerably less money than we've paid at other exceptional restaurants in recent months. BYOB, of course, is the key. We drank a bottle of Bordeaux and had a second bottle of Cab at our feet in case we felt the urge (only two blocks from home, why not?). First course, my lovely lady friend had smoked salmon wrapped around a runny poached egg, and I had a sashimi style yellowfin. My fish came with cranberry and radish for a nice sweet flavor. Next, my lady enjoyed a sensational risotto with a rich beef jus, and I had half a lobster tail with a cherry puree on the plate. My lobster was a little tough and overwhelmed by the fruit flavor on the plate, but her risotto was outrageously tasty, maybe the highlight of the meal. Third course brought a perfectly cooked filet of salmon for my lady, and striped bass with a cauliflower and yellow raisin salad on the side. These flavors mixed so perfectly, I was literally swooning through my meal. Remember that scene in What About Bob when he's eating Pam's fried chicken? I sounded something like that. Desserts included excellent creme brulee (my favorite dessert) and four fluffy, sugary beignets with two sauces for dipping, one fruity red and one creamy white. We ate every single bite of everything, start to finish. Service was spot on, noise level stayed reasonable, and the decor was so cool and understated. Best in Philly? I don't know, I haven't had them all. Best in Conshy? Oh god yes. read more

I've heard such great things about this place, especially The duck tasting menu (which we went in for). We were 20 minutes early, and I had been warned the staff was "cranky", so not to expect to be seated early. We were sat at 7:20 for a 7:15 reservation, on a Tuesday night. There were three open tables since we arrived, no other guests came in, but we had to stand there and wait non -the-less. -1 point for crappy front of house service and an attitude from the host. I wanted to leave i was so irritated, but it was my dates birthday, and her pick, so i bit my tongue and stayed. We both ordered the duck tasting menu plus the foie gois app to share. The foie gois was amazing. The zucchini bread was a perfect compliment to the buttery terrine. I could have eaten another 3 orders... The duck dishes were average, but i will say we're both duck snobs. We cook our own at least once a week (preferring the simple magret de canard using D'artagnan breasts), and have traveled back to Toulouse to again eat the town that does it perfect, so my judgement may be a little harsh. The duck ham was worth skipping for another appetizer, tasted like a fourmet ham &cheese sandwich. The pasta with confit was good, but way too heavy for a 85 deg summer night, this dish should be reserved for winter (but +1 bonus point for the use of blueberries in the dish). Dessert was a disaster. I believe we were told it was a creme anglaise made with a duck egg for the sauce on the bread pudding...but the really gross part was the candied duck skin served on top. Tasted like that piece of burnt turkey skin on the edfe of the bird you're picking at just before thanksgiving dinner. The waiter kicked my foot and chair at least 3x's during dinner, knocked my dates purse off of her chair twice. This place definatley has too many people crammed in to too small of a place. Raise prices and lose a table or two, or expand, but either way, there needs to be a more comfortable space to enjoy the food. The rest of the menu looked much more interesting, so anxiously awaiting for a return date so we can sample everythig else on the menu! read more

The applewood smoked salmon appetizer is great. It is a wondrous conflagration in my mouth of egg, potato, smoked fish, and mizuna. Yeah, I used the word conflagration because that's what I meant. Don't roll your eyes at me. I could have easily said "explosion" but decided not to. It is a really innovative, delicious appetizer. The yellowtail kingfish "sashimi style" is pretty good. The orata and duck entrees were good. If you like some crisp with your fish skin, then the orata is your jam. The scallops were fine. I've got to really hand it to Blackfish for a fine dessert. I had a cremeaux composed of semi-frozen white chocolate, pistachio, whipped ricotta, and preserved orange. I've never had anything quite like it. read more

Blackfish further confirms that culinary talent, once kept within limits of Center City , is rushing to establish roots and reputation in the outskirts of Philadelphia. Rather than battle among a glut of great restaurants downtown, these types of quality restaurants are changing the game by filling a void in growing areas like Conshocken. There's no doubt Blackfish could stand toe to toe with the best (see Philadelphia Magazine's Top 50 rankings), but certainly you can run a more profitable restaurant in the 'burbs -- even when you're a BYOB. That's another reason to get there soon. Who knows how long it will remain that way. I took a client here for lunch on a Wednesday and the food was excellent. I'm anxious to try their dinner menu. The agnolotti pasta I had was nicely prepared using simple, good ingredients. The rest of my party was equally impressed with their meals. Reservations are a must. read more