Do They Still Throw Real Fish At Pike Place Market?

Anyone who lives in the state of Washington — or has seen the beloved '90s rom-com "Sleepless in Seattle" — knows about Seattle's iconic Pike Place Market. Established in 1907, Pike Place is a historic public market packed with hundreds of small, lively stands run by families, artisans, farmers, and antique dealers. It's even the location of the original Starbucks. Yet, of all the businesses packed into one of the country's oldest public markets, one stands out as the most famous: Pike Place Fish Market.

Yes, we're talking about the "guys who throw the fish." For those unfamiliar, Pike Place Fish Market is a fishmonger stall located deep in the heart of Seattle's famous farmers' market. The business has been in operation since the 1930s and is famous for its employees tossing fish as if they're footballs, back and forth, from behind the counter into a crowd of inevitable bystanders and tourists. Each fish toss comes with monk-like chant as the employees call out in unison the type of fish which has been purchased. Before the pandemic, Pike Place Fish Market did up to 200 fish tosses daily. While they slowed down a bit in the early 2020s over safety concerns, the reliable fishmongers — decked out in their orange bibs and thick, rubber boots — still toss fish today. In fact, you can even watch the tradition via a live feed on their website.

It turns out, this defining characteristic of Pike Place Fish Market — and, some might say, Pike Place itself — was actually born out of a momentary laziness. According to the previous owner, John Yokoyama, the tradition began on a particularly chilly day back in the 1980s when a customer ordered a bag of clams. Yokoyama left his warm spot behind the counter to shovel the icy clams into a bag, but didn't want to walk the 75 yards back behind the counter to weigh them. Instead, he just chucked the bag of shellfish to a coworker up front, and thus, the idea for the flying fish was born.

Yokoyama has since sold the business to four of his longtime employees, who keep the tradition alive to this very day. The easiest way to see a fish fly is to buy one (or be nearby when someone else does). However, the crew at Pike Place Fish Market is known to do a toss or two for a donation or simply to entertain a growing crowd of tourists. A handful of us at Tasting Table, including this writer, have seen the famous fish toss in person. Frankly, it is impossible not to grin like a shark as the seafood soars through the air to a chorus of deep-bellied chants.