Sashimi, poke and oysters: 5 Nashville places where you can get ultra-fresh seafood

Mack: That notion that you can't get fresh fish away from the coast, well, doesn't hold a lot of water in the year of our lord 2023. Sure, you're not going to find a perfect seafood shack on every corner like you would on the Gulf Coast. But you can find pristine sashimi, poke and other fish dishes if you look closely.

Brad: "Hold a lot of water"? Hey-oh! I mean, let's remember that we do have to grade on a curve here in landlocked Tennessee. But yes, I agree that I have been very pleasantly surprised at the quality of fish at a few spots here in Nashville.

Mack: Yep, it's taken me a while to find it, but quality seafood most certainly exists in this city. In fact, our seafood selection is growing. Joe Muer Seafood officially opened in downtown Nashville’s Capitol View district Aug. 23. The 12,000-square-foot restaurant flies sustainable seafood in from some of its sources around the globe, and it's certainly a hit where it was founded nearly 100 years ago in Detroit.

We're excited to try that one out soon, but for now, here are some of our favorite fish spots:

Aloha Fish Company

370 Herron Dr #5, alohafishcompany.com.

Mack: Sorry once again for the pun, but holy mackerel. Hawaii native Jennifer Cline launched a seafood business as both a pandemic pivot and a way to get sustainably caught, seriously fresh seafood in Nashville. Now, she and her husband chef Jerry Cline run a weekly pop-up and seafood market out of a storefront in what's basically a collection of warehouses near GEODIS Park.

The couple receives about 80 pounds of fresh seafood a week, selling it retail and a la carte in deliciously fresh poke bowls, sashimi trays, inari and other raw fish preparations. The Ora King salmon sashimi is beautiful. Grab a butter mochi while you're at it. Order by the pound at alohafishcompany.com or stop by Thursday-Saturday to try the weekly pop-up menu, which also includes hot Hawaiian dishes such as Kalua pork.

Brad: Dare I say that this is very close to the freshest of the fresh fish I've had here. The sashimi salmon practically melted in my mouth. 10/10, as the kids say. Same score for the poke bowls, which have just enough flavor to complement the incredible fish instead of overpowering it, as sometimes happens at other Nashville poke places.

Ichigo Ichie

2031 Broadway, ichigonashville.com,

Mack: This new sushi restaurant in the Gulch has some pristine sashimi, even if some of the chef's special entrees and appetizers were a bit hit or miss for the price. The Flying Dragon, made with cooked-to-order live lobster, was a spectacle with its lobster tail and head garnish. It was good, but I'd only order it again if I wanted to impress someone. Where this restaurant really knocks it out of the park is with simpler dishes, including deliciously fatty, incredibly clean slices of toro and other unadorned raw seafood preparations. With fish this good, an overabundance of sauce just isn't necessary.

Brad: I have to agree with you, Mack, even though I'd rather argue. 😉 I think you want to skip almost everything but the sashimi and nigiri. And that toro is the best fish I've eaten in Nashville.

Ocean Delight Food Truck

Check locations and schedule at instagram.com/oceandelightss

Brad: The first time I went to the truck, I waited 52 minutes for my food. (I've since learned to call ahead.) Folks, that's nearly an hour in a car in a hot parking lot. In that time, six other customers walked up to me, unsolicited, and told me how awesome the food was. Couldn't stop talking about it. And they were right! The lobster roll is certainly my fave thing here. So very fresh, served warm with butter and "O.D. sauce." Not sure what that is, but great fish on a wonderful brioche bun.

Mack: If you'd rather not have the parking lot experience, you can also catch chef Nardin Barwari's food at semi-regular pop-ups at the Nashville Farmers' Market's Grow Local Kitchen. And yes, the beautifully fresh, buttery lobster roll is a must-order here.

Henrietta Red

1200 Fourth Ave. N., henriettared.com

Mack: The oysters at this Germantown spot are absolutely stellar. They also defy a lot of what you think you already know about oysters. Think Gulf Coast specimens are going to be giant, salty things with no complexity? Take a gander at the list here. Just want your West Coast oysters? Done. Prefer the cold waters of the Northeast? Sweet. The other thing I love about Henrietta Red? The flavor descriptions of everything from the well-selected wine list to the oysters themselves. Don't skip the regular menu, either. I recently had a snapper dish that was stellar. Even better: perfect, pillowy gnocchi with 'nduja that didn't overpower, but rather complemented, fresh, sweet crab.

Brad: Well, of course, I have to disagree with you at least once in this story, Mack! I thought the sauce on that perfect gnocchi did overpower the crab. Honestly, though, that's probably the only dish I had that I didn't completely love. For me, this is the best seafood restaurant in Nashville, serving the most fresh and delicious dishes on this list. We had a red snapper crudo that was insanely fresh and tasty. And the perfect and perfectly cooked scallops came with mushrooms and pickled shrimp (who's the genius who came up with that unlikely pairing?) that really heightened the whole dish.

The Optimist Nashville

1400 Adams St., theoptimistrestaurant.com

Mack: This Germantown spot has one of my favorite patios in Nashville, a great wine list, incredibly friendly and knowledgeable servers, and fantastic seafood to boot. While I've loved everything I've had here, including the flounder and scallops, my favorite way to experience this restaurant is with a seafood tower, including excellent oysters and super fresh peel and eats, and a couple of cocktails.

Brad: And don't forget the bread! Random, I know, but the Optimist serves these little balls of perfection before dinner that melt in your mouth.

What's your favorite seafood in Middle Tennessee? Have any other restaurant suggestions for us? Reach Mackensy at mlunsford@tennessean.com or Brad at brad@tennessean.com.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: 5 Nashville restaurants, pop-ups where you can get ultra-fresh seafood