Beer & Fish Company Brings Big Seafood Energy to Fargo

A walk down Roberts Alley leads to one of Fargo’s more unexpected dinner destinations: Beer & Fish Company, where raw oysters arrive over crushed ice, walleye comes fried and flaky, and a lobster roll can be followed by Prosecco on tap.

The alley approach gives the restaurant a pleasantly removed feeling, though it is very much in the middle of the city. Inside, the look is modern without turning formal. The room stays warm and comfortable, with enough ease for a casual lunch, a family meal, or a round of cocktails and seafood with friends.

It is a broad seafood menu rather than a one-dish operation. There are fried plates, grilled fish, tacos, pasta, soup, sandwiches, lobster, crab cakes, shrimp and a Surf & Turf entrée, giving a table plenty of directions to take.

Walleye gets more than a token appearance here. It is offered as a sandwich, in fish-and-chips-style preparations, and in a pairing with halibut. That gives diners a chance to keep it simple or turn a familiar Upper Midwest fish into a full seafood sampler.

The walleye sandwich comes on good bread with fries and has the generous proportions of a lunch that can easily carry into later. The fish is handled with a light touch: the breading is balanced rather than aggressively crunchy or salty, leaving the fish itself with room to come through.

Halibut provides another fried-fish option, including a substantial sandwich with a firmer bite and mild flavor. Cod, salmon and shrimp widen the choices still further, so a mixed group does not have to settle on one style of seafood.

The lobster roll is built around large pieces of lobster in a soft, fluffy roll. Drawn butter is the natural accompaniment, and the whole thing works best when treated as a proper meal rather than a dainty snack.

Lobster also shows up in a bisque with a thick, buttery body and visible chunks of meat. On a cool Fargo day, it is easy to see the appeal of lingering over a bowl before moving on to a fried entrée or tacos.

Crab cakes arrive browned and crisp outside, with a moist, soft, creamy center and remoulade alongside. They make a sensible opening order for a table that wants to sample before committing to mains.

For oyster fans, the raw version comes on crushed ice. Chargrilled oysters have also appeared during happy hour, adding a warmer, richer alternative to the chilled platter.

Baja fish tacos bring guacamole, salsa, chips and avocado to the table, taking the meal in a brighter, more casual direction. Lobster tacos and shrimp tacos offer other ways to work seafood into a handheld meal.

The pasta side of the menu runs richer. Fire Shrimp Linguine and Cajun shrimp pasta bring creamy shrimp-forward comfort, while shrimp scampi gives diners another familiar seafood-pasta route.

Grilled salmon is a quieter choice, prepared simply with fresh flavor and restrained seasoning. It is a useful counterpoint to the fried fish and creamier sauces elsewhere on the menu.

A seafood restaurant can be judged by the things around the fish, and Beer & Fish Company has some side dishes with personality. The potato salad is homemade in spirit, with big pieces of hard-boiled egg, a lighter dressing, and a scatter of crispy potato chips on top.

Mac and cheese uses corkscrew pasta to hold a cheese-forward sauce, then gets baked breadcrumbs for texture. Spiral fries, chips, a side salad and cucumber-studded coleslaw offer more familiar accompaniments.

One curveball is fried Thai pineapple rice, a sweet-savory option that takes the menu beyond the usual fish-house playbook. Clam chowder, meanwhile, is hearty and substantial, with a subtle note of dill.

The gluten-free selection is unusually substantial for a seafood restaurant with so much fried food in the mix. Fish and chips can be made with gluten-free breading, and gluten-free items are prepared in a dedicated fryer.

Gluten-free bread has also been available, along with a dessert of ice cream covered in chocolate and nuts. Specific dishes, sauces and preparation details can change, so diners with allergies or cross-contact concerns should confirm current options directly with the restaurant.

The menu is large enough that a server’s guidance can be useful even without dietary restrictions. Staff know the offerings, can explain preparations, and help narrow down the many seafood choices.

Cocktails provide another reason not to rush through the meal. The drink list includes fresh, original signature cocktails, with margaritas and an Old Fashioned among the familiar favorites. Prosecco on tap is a playful fit for oysters or a lobster roll.

Chocolate fudge cake is the rich finish for a table that still has room. Portions elsewhere can be generous enough to produce leftovers, so dessert may be a shared decision rather than an automatic final course.

Look up while settling in: beer- and fish-themed objects hang overhead, adding a bit of visual mischief to the otherwise polished room. Conversation is generally easy indoors, and outdoor seating gives the restaurant another appealing mode when the weather cooperates.

Roberts Alley itself does not offer restaurant parking. Nearby street spaces, lots and public parking ramps are the usual alternatives, so the alley entrance is best treated as the final short walk rather than the place to expect a spot directly outside.

Indoor and outdoor seating are both available, though patio plans naturally depend on the weather. Reservation practices can vary, so checking the restaurant’s current policy before a busy dinner is sensible.