FET-FISK restaurant + bar — Restaurant in Pittsburgh

We got reservations 2 months out for a 9PM Saturday dinner. They were fairly busy when we arrived, but a hostess greated us promptly and got us seated.

Drinks were a little slow to arrive. I tried the "aromatic", which wasn't quite for me and my girlfriend got the spritz which she enjoyed. We also got the shooters with mezcal, taking our waitresses suggestion for the alcohol, and that was probably the right move to start.

We were not able to order the 4.4oz tin of the trout caviar, which ended up being a blessing in disguise as the smaller serving was enough for two people. We also ordered the raw oysters, pate, pickled mackarel, and gravlax. The oysters were very good, however I'm not sure if this is a cleaning thing or my own user error but I did managed to twice get bits of shell with my bite. Not sure if that indicates more precision on shucking and cleaning would have helped or not. The mignonette they were served with was very nice. The pate was good and is a generous serving. The pickled mackarel was also very good and we took it down very quickly, but my girlfriend loves mackarel, so that tracks. The gravlax was good, but didn't stand out hugely to me.

We asked the waitresses what vegetable sides we should get and she suggested the watermellon salad and the tomato salad. The watermellon salad stood out as something a bit unique and that I really liked. The acid was a nice break before jumping into the richer entrees. The tomatoes were fine too and served the same purpose, but didn't stand out to me compared to the watermellon salad. We also reupped on drinks with my girlfriend getting another spritz and me trying the herbaceous, which I liked a lot better.

For the entrees I got the branzino and my girlfriend got the ny strip. I also tried the pilsner urquell and even though I'm not a huge beer drinker that seemed to pair really well and I enjoyed it. The branzino, you have to sebone, which another water gave me a briefing on and I was able to do successfully, but it was kind of an explain then go rather than an instruct as I worked. Still that was kind of fun and I did seemingly do it properly. I liked the branzino and the rich butter was very good although the fat was adding up by the time I finished it, no left overs on my plate. My girlfriend was fairly full at this point, but she enjoyed what steak she had which was prepared to a great medium rare and had a flavor profile similar to fogo de chao's, before we packed that up for breakfast later in the week, where it was still very good.

For dessert we tried the chocolate torte and I can't recall the shortcake along with a shot of the aged aquavit. I'm not sure if I'd say I personally think aquavit is good, but that felt like the thing to do and I would do it again. The chocolate torte was everything you could expect, we had a few bites and took the rest home. The shortcake wasn't really our favorite, but we boxed it up and took it with us.

Overall the food was really good and I'm very glad the waitress recommended the watermellon salad as I would have missed that without her help. I do wish that there was a chefs tasting or something like that, particularly with pairings, so that we could have had a more currated experience than doing it ad-hoc. I'd say that the food was very close to Michelin star level and with the right pairings and ordering it likely would be at that level.

Service was good. Good recommendations. Some dishes were explained in detail which we appreciated, it's always nice to hear the food kind of talked up though, "this our salmon from some farm in you don't actually know where, but I'm indicating to you we were very particular about where it was selected from" type of deal and I think that also can help grasp more subtle flavors when they are explained ahead of time. Maybe that's a little stuffier than what the restaurant is looking to do though. Completed dishes were not left to sit at the table long, and the waitress did box everything. No crumb cleanup.

View from window was not...

We had an absolutely amazing experience at FET-FISK, and it’s safe to say this was one of the best meals we’ve ever had. Having dined here twice before, it has become our go-to restaurant for special celebrations as a couple. This visit, however, was truly unforgettable—not just because of the incredible food, but also because of the warmth and thoughtfulness of the staff. When our lovely server asked if we were celebrating anything other than Valentine’s Day, my partner jokingly mentioned we were commemorating the 5th anniversary of the Sonic the Hedgehog movie. Our server not only laughed along with us but even engaged in a fun conversation about the movie, which set the tone for a night filled with joy and connection.

The meal itself was nothing short of spectacular. We started with what might be the best steak tartare in the entire region, followed by entrees of Branzino, Cavatelli pasta, and a side of focaccia with their exquisite oil and tomato balsamic. Each dish was beautifully prepared and bursting with flavor. The cocktails complemented the meal perfectly, and we finished with desserts of cake and panna cotta, both of which were divine. But the real cherry on top came when our server brought out the final check along with two blue lemon drop shots to celebrate the Sonic movie anniversary. It was such a thoughtful and unexpected touch that left us smiling from ear to ear. This wasn’t just a meal; it was an experience we’ll be talking about for years to come.

As someone who recently lost their job (don’t worry, we saved specifically for this meal), I can confidently say that every penny spent was worth it. Dining out at this level isn’t something we do often, but FET-FISK consistently delivers an experience that feels special and memorable. For around $100 per person, we walked away feeling completely satisfied—not just with the food, but with the entire evening.

On a more personal note, the Branzino dish transported me to a place I rarely visit mentally in the United States. It reminded me of a childhood memory from the Philippines, where I spent time in my parents’ village. I vividly recall my uncle buying fresh fish from a fisherman who roamed the streets with a cart, ringing a bell to announce his catch. He fried the fish right outside, and the taste was transcendent—plump, fresh, and infused with the essence of the sea. In the U.S., I’ve never encountered seafood that brought me back to that memory so vividly—until I had the Branzino at FET-FISK. The fish was perfectly seasoned, plump, and so fresh that I could almost taste the brine of the seawater. It was a rare and emotional experience, especially in a city like Pittsburgh, where seafood of that quality is hard to come by.

To share such a profound and personal moment with the love of my life, at our favorite restaurant, on Valentine’s Day weekend, while celebrating something as whimsical as the Sonic the Hedgehog movie anniversary, was truly magical. It was a night of joy, nostalgia, and connection during what has otherwise been a challenging time in our lives.

Bravo to the chef, the bar, and the wait staff. You’ve created something truly special at FET-FISK, and you deserve all the acclaim and more. Thank you for an...

We got the oysters, marinated button mushrooms, rye foccacia, roast half chicken and New York strip steak.

The oysters were good and came out first. Then we got the button mushrooms which were cold and pickled like. They were very delicious! The horseradish was strong but we didn’t mind it because we love it. The rye foccacia was good and I love the oil it came in. The oil was not too tomato based (I’m not a fan of tomatoes)

For our main dishes I loved both equally and have to say how impressed. We normally don’t like to get chicken we go out to since it is something we could make at home. The chicken was so crispy and moist. At first I thought the combination of cheese and fruit wasn’t going to be good but boy was I wrong in the best way. The chef’s prepared the chicken so it’s so easy to cut. The steak was delicious and had a great sear! The lobster hollandaise sauce they put on top was so good and you’ve got actual flavor of lobster.

We didn’t get any drinks. None of them really spoke to us so we just stuck with water. They don’t give you a water bottle to fill up your own waters. You have to wait for the waiter to come around.

We were there for around an hour. I did really enjoy how the food came out in smaller courses rather than getting everything at once.

I would say the biggest con dining there was the service. We felt like our server didn’t really care about us nor want to wait on us. We had better interactions with other staff members than our own waiter. I’m not sure if our server was just having a bad night. Because we went after they were closed for break for a while. We were waiting a while to get our check and then we had to wait a while for him to come back and get our card. One of the things that really rubbed me the wrong way was that we overheard the hostess and manager asking why we were still there and what was taking so long it was kind of upsetting due to the fact that it was out of our control, but we felt like we were just trying to be rushed out, even though we made a reservation...