Le Petit Pecheur
Le Petit Pêcheur is one of the highly rated Astoria seafood places where you can pick your seafood and they will cook it for you. We’ve been to Hamido Seafood and Taverna Kyclades several times, so we’re wondering how this place stacks up. This restaurant opened nearly 1 year ago, and it has been low key on the radar. We were able to walk in without reservations around 4:30 PM on a Saturday afternoon.
Ambiance & Service
Because the weather was very nice and comfortable, they opened the patio doors to let the natural air flow in. We were seated in a 2-seater table, and the dishes all came out pretty quickly. The restaurant is not as big as some of its other competitors, but because there’s not an insane amount of foot traffic, it feels more accessible. The sound levels were good and not noisy. I’m not sure how that would change if this was more crowded, but it definitely felt more upscale than the others.
The service was good in that they helped guide us through the ordering process and they were speedy at cleaning up our table.
Food
The complimentary garlic bread came with some olive oil already basted on. It was crispy and served as an excellent vessel for the roasted eggplant dip.
The Hamoud ($2.50 - left) Algerian soda tasted like 7-up meets Sprite. It’s basically that lemon-lime soda.
The Slim Apple ($2.50 - right) Algerian soda tasted like sparkling apple cider.
The Roasted Eggplant Dip ($8) tasted pretty good. I was surprised to find it served in a plate, but my partner devoured this up with the bread.
The Sardines (0.26 lbs at $5.20; $20/lb) were fried and fully edible despite the bones. They were pre-marinated in cumin and a bunch of other seasoning.
The Octopus ($23.99) came with 2 legs chopped up and sauteed in olive oil. The octopus legs were surprisingly very tender. I felt they might have oversalted the oil, but otherwise, this was pretty good and plentiful.
The Monk Fish (0.44 lbs at $8.80; $20/lb) was sauteed in olive oil. If you’ve never had monkfish before, it’s a very ugly fish, but the meat is very dense such that it’s almost like a steak. We asked for a small slice, and they helped cut it for us. There was no fishiness, and it was in fact pretty good.
The Scallops (0.98 lbs at $33.31; $33.99/lb) were cooked perfectly. They were ordered grilled and dressed with olive oil and butter. The scallops were translucent and very fresh.
The wild caught Ecuadorian medium-sized shrimp (1.02 lbs at $26.51; $25.99/lb) were ordered grill. Initially we wanted to fry it, but they would remove the shell. I knew that if they grill it, the shell would be crunchy enough such that most of it would be edible.
The Lemon Potatoes ($7) were pretty good though not as fragrant as other Greek places. The lemon was fairly light to the nose and to the taste, but otherwise the potatoes were pretty good.
Overall Impression
Le Petit Pêcheur was very good for what it was. It may be just slightly pricier than some of its competitors, but the no-line fuss and quieter atmosphere makes this an excellent alternative. They have a very good selection of seafood, and if you are willing to walk, it’s a great option for Mediterranean seafood if you’re on the hunt.
Yelp & Google Jabs
The scallops could’ve used a minute or more on the grill… Plus, no alcohol. This must be a thing in some areas of NYC and NJ because this would close a business in Atlanta.
This Yelper from Georgia probably likes their scallops rubbery. The alcohol doesn’t really hurt anyone honestly, as you can bring your own liquor. Lastly, this location is in Astoria, which is quite different than Manhattan. Many travelers assume that all boroughs of NYC have the same restaurant rules and demand, which is not accurate.
Hurry and go before the word gets out and the influencers get to it.
I think this restaurant is a walk from the N train, and I am unsure if that is something people would be willing to trek for. That might be its allure though if you want good seafood and don’t want to wait for an hour at its competitors near Ditmars.
Revisions
- Sep 20, 2025 - Initial revision.