What Is Hogfish?
Hogfish Bar & Grill is one of the few restaurants in the country built around hogfish, the Florida Keys reef fish we’re named for. Here’s what it is, why it’s special, and how it gets from the reef to your plate.
A mild, sweet reef fish
Hogfish (Lachnolaimus maximus) is a wrasse found on the coral reefs of the Florida Keys. It uses a long, pig-like snout to root shellfish out of the sand, and that shellfish diet gives its white flesh a mild, sweet flavor that’s frequently compared to scallops or lobster. It’s widely considered one of the best-eating fish in South Florida.
Spear-caught, not netted
The hogfish on our menu is spear-caught, not netted or hooked. Because hogfish rarely take a baited hook, commercial harvest is done almost entirely by spearfishers, one fish at a time. That makes it one of the most sustainable and least common menu fish in Florida. Supply moves through small local fish houses, including the Mongelli family’s own market at Safe Harbor Marina, so the dock-to-dish chain, spear to fish house to fryer, often happens the same day. It’s why the fishermen who caught your lunch may be sitting at the next table.
The Killer Hogfish Sandwich
Our signature dish is the Killer Hogfish Sandwich: pan-seared hogfish with mushrooms and Swiss cheese on Cuban bread. Travel + Leisure named Hogfish Bar & Grill one of the 30 best seafood spots in America, and the hogfish sandwich is the reason locals and visitors keep coming back to the dock.
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