Indulge in an Elevated Seafood Experience at Off the Hook
- Max McCrory
- 24 hours ago
- 4 min read
Off the Hook has been luring diners to Warrendale since 2013 with its decadent raw bar, high-end wine list and extensive menu. In the last 12 years, it has continued to cement itself as a top destination for seafood in Pittsburgh.
I was slightly intimidated by the large menu the first time I dined at Off the Hook. There were so many menu items I was intrigued by, such as the oysters Rockefeller, mussels in a miso-style broth, bigeye tuna served as sashimi, and the Parmesan-style swordfish. All of the classic soups and salads, such as the French onion soup and Caesar salad, were enticing as well. There were only two of us dining that evening, but I would definitely suggest a larger group so you can share and try a wider variety of dishes.
We had to start with a selection of East Coast oysters, including Blue Point from the Long Island Sound in New York, Wellfleet from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and Olde Salts from the Machipongo Inlet in Virginia. All of these oysters were fresh and extremely briny, which was the perfect way to prepare our palates for all of the seafood ahead. The accompaniments — homemade hot sauce, mignonette, horseradish and cocktail sauce — all complemented the oysters perfectly.
The house-smoked salmon came next, and it was different than I expected. I thought it would be a cold-smoked salmon, but this dish was cooked. That threw me off a bit, but the texture of the salmon was still flaky and tender. The toasted brioche and crème fraîche paired with the salmon reminded me of a bagel with cream cheese and lox, which I loved. The tobiko caviar on top added another layer of salty flavor, which enhanced the flavors of the earthy salmon.
My favorite appetizer was the bigeye tuna trio of tartare. I love tartare in any form, especially with a high-quality cut of fish. The tuna in all three types of the tartare was so silky that it melted in my mouth. The first flavor was jalapeño ginger, and it had a lovely kick that went straight to my nostrils. I wouldn’t say it was overly spicy, though; it just tingled the taste buds. The second flavor was spicy red chili, and this definitely had a little bit of heat with a hint of garlic. The third flavor was shiitake and white soy, and this one was bursting with tangy umami notes. I loved this dish, as you had a nice variety in just one plate without it being too overwhelming.
Off the Hook has a variety of fish that you can have cooked in a myriad of ways, which makes every time you dine there slightly different, even if you order the same type of fish. For our main dishes, my dining partner went with the Veracruz-style swordfish, while I went with the hoezel-style jumbo sea scallops. The Veracruz-style charred swordfish was smoky and bursting with bright flavors from the tomato, onion, jalapeño, olive and caper topping. It paired well with the buttery swordfish and brought out its brininess.
The hoezel-style jumbo sea scallops were decadent. They had a lovely sear on them and were topped with not only a French-inspired tarragon hoezel butter sauce, but also large chunks of jumbo lump crab. This only added to the luxuriousness of the dish. Scallops can often be sea-forward in flavor, but the sweet and buttery crab helped tone this down. The sauce further enhanced the flavors of the scallops and crab with rich, herbaceous notes. I honestly had trouble finishing the entire dish due to the richness, but it was worth the calories.
You can order a myriad of sides at Off the Hook, but they’re all family-style, which means they’re way too big for just two people. I would’ve loved a vegetable, such as the asparagus or cauliflower, to complement all of the richness in our main dishes, but we only had so much room. We ultimately went with something equally as indulgent as our mains — the lobster whipped potatoes. I adore potatoes in any form, but mashed are my favorite. These mashed potatoes were velvety, and the copious amounts of lobster on top only added to the luxurious mouthfeel of the dish.
You might be wondering if we had any room for dessert, and the answer is, of course, yes. I’m a big cheesecake fan, so we had to order the specialty cheesecake. The evening we went, it was a chocolate chip cheesecake. The cheesecake was smooth and creamy, and the chocolate added some contrast. It was a delightful way to end the meal.
Off the Hook delivers a dining experience that feels thoughtful, indulgent and consistently well-executed from start to finish. With impeccably fresh seafood and creative preparations, it’s easy to see why the restaurant has remained a standout in the Pittsburgh dining scene for more than a decade. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply craving expertly prepared seafood, Off the Hook continues to prove that it’s worth the trip to Warrendale.