Rockfish Maki Bar — Restaurant in New Haven

“I have a guess, but I don’t want to say,” I said to my husband as we pulled out of our driveway.

He came home from work while I was pulling out a package of ground beef for tonight’s dinner. “Let’s go out,” he had said. This was unusual, but I’m not one to ever say no to eating out, so I got ready immediately!

“Tell me your guess,” he said as we pulled onto our street.

I hesitated. “Rockfish is open again?”

He laughed. “Yes! It’s a little different now, but they’re open!”

Friends, my dreams had come true.

We drove the thirty minutes to East Haven and ordered at their self-service station. The menu options have changed - their focus is on maki, which does make sense with the brewery next door and (from what I’ve seen anecdotally) area trends.

When we arrived, we were greeted with joy - these are professionals who absolutely love what they do and remember their customers! (I was touched! We missed them so much while they were temporarily closed. And a special shout out to Jason, who likely served me my first sushi way back in my youth when he was working in Milford!)

We ended up with 6 hand rolls (a mix of the unagi and the spicy tuna) now wrapped in an easily portable soy wrap, 4 maki (tuna, yellowtail, and oshinko), multiple appetizers (all of which were amazing, but extra praise to the tuna sandwich!), and some miso soup.

Despite the changes, the quality and the attention to detail remained the same as when Rockfish focused more on omakase options. The fish is just as fresh, they still use the same fresh wasabi, and even their takeout accompaniments are of a much higher quality than most establishments! Their hand rolls are absolute works of art, their maki is simple and flavorful (and there are vegetarian options!), and the appetizers are innovative, fun, and delicious. (We ate the unagi hand rolls in the car on the way home, so don’t rule them out for a quick snack on the drive from work!) Even the miso soup, something they didn’t offer before, was rich and delightful.

The cost was surprisingly and delightfully comparable to other (frankly subpar!) sushi places in our rural area, and I cannot reiterate enough just how outstanding the quality and detail is!

As I write this, things still seem to be afoot at East Rock Market, so it’s possible more will come for Rockfish, too. Regardless, while the menu has changed, it’s clear that their passion for quality and value is unwavering.

Be sure to check them out - whether for a quick bite for lunch, a snack on a long drive home, dinner for the family, or while spending time sampling beers at East Rock Brewing Company next door! They are more than worth it!

(Cats also approve - we had one piece of tekka maki left and we were stuffed, having ordered more sushi than any two humans should consume in one sitting. We pulled out the tuna and chopped it up for Momo the cat, who was, frankly, ecstatic at his good fortune! I won’t lie - I was happy to get to share a little of something that we...

Simply excellent. The best sushi you'll find in New Haven by a long shot. Rockfish manifests their noble philosophy, "Nigiri is truth." This is some of the highest quality fish I've ever had in my entire life (and I grew up on a tropical island). Order the Omakase and sit at the bar to receive starters of edamame and tuna sashimi in ponzu soy sauce, four rounds of nigiri, and two rolls–all freshly prepared in front of you. With every round, the wonderful staff explain what you're eating, where it's from, and how best to enjoy it. Critically, the fish, in all of its freshness and complexity of flavor, was the centerpiece of every single dish. Whether it was the creaminess of the yellowtail or the silky richness of the salmon, these sushi chefs knew how to perfectly complement the delicate flavor of the fish with a touch of wasabi and a bed of sushi rice. If you want to eat sushi as it was meant to be eaten, don't miss out on this...

An affordable omakase with tremendous potentials! First of all, I was highly impressed at the quality of the fish at this price. All the fish was fresh and maintained in clean environment. However, there are a few modifications that would improve the taste of the whole experience. Everything was blend, except the appetizer. The appetizer was too salty and unimpressive. I think it would’ve been better if it had some citrus and sweet flavor (yuzu?) instead of just plain soy sauce. For the sushi, the rice was too blend. It definitely needs more flavor. Salmon nigiri should not go with sesame seeds because the sesame overwhelms the salmon. Seaweed was really good but it was just too painful to witness the high quality toro to be ruined by spicy mayo 😭. The quality of yellowtail was top notch. It will be amazing with the right flavored rice. With some modifications, I believe this place will be great! the price...