If you’re anything like me—not from the Ann Arbor area, buried in homework and slightly clueless of anything north of the State Theater—you probably haven’t spent much time in Kerrytown. Kerrytown is a historic Ann Arbor neighborhood full of quirky establishments and unique food ventures. My friend, Amanda, had been raving about the seafood market up there for most of the semester, so on her birthday, I treated her to lunch at Monahan’s Seafood Market, a venture well-worth the walk. 


Monahan’s is located on the first floor of Kerrytown Market & Shops (415 N. Fifth Ave), a small shopping center occupied by various restaurants, a grocery store, and arts and crafts stores. Be forewarned, though, that it is not a typical restaurant setting. Its main area is occupied by an L-shaped counter, at which you can view and purchase many types of fresh fish, shellfish, and deli items. Over the other side of the counter hangs the menu board; this is where you order and, if you like, sit at the bar to eat. If you’d rather not sit at the bar (this is where all the orders take place, so there’s a good chance of being disrupted), the side of the market has a few tables for two. Generally, you order your food at the counter and sit at one of the tables and one of the employees will bring your food to you.

The service is somewhat comparable to Noodles & Company: the staff brings the food to your table, tips are not expected and they clean your table for you. The atmosphere likens itself to a casual lunch with friends or a date, but be advised that it’s a pretty busy place and not particularly romantic, so your date should be prepared for a unique dining experience.

The menu has a wide variety of seafood options that will suit most anyone’s fancy, even if you’re a little wary of things that swim. I’m personally not a big fan of anything that has tentacles, so I tend to stay away from calamari. One of the great things about Monahan’s is that the head chef puts out a Special every day, so there’s always something interesting to try. On this visit, I got a salmon dish cooked with spinach, pine nuts, feta cheese, and other veggies over rice, while Amanda ordered fish and chips. In conversation with the chef, we mentioned that it was my friend’s 21st birthday and he gave her a cup of wine to celebrate. Touches like this are one of the reasons we should all frequent the small businesses of the area.

Our food came within ten minutes on paper plates. The portion sizes were a little smaller than I expected, but they were fair with their prices, which range anywhere from around $8-20. In hindsight, I probably should have ordered it without the feta; I’m not a fan of cheese and biting into a huge chunk of it was unpleasant for me. But if I avoided the feta, the dish was absolutely amazing and very flavorful. The fish and chips were good as well, but before you reach for the ketchup for your fries, stop yourself: they’re better enjoyed with salt and vinegar, which are provided for you. This is a common combination in the mid-Atlantic region and something that everyone should try at least once.

Overall, I would rate Monahan’s Seafood Market as a must-visit restaurant in Ann Arbor. The interesting variety of dishes, friendly staff, and flavorful food are certainly intriguing and sure to prompt a return visit. I returned within a week…