San Antonio’s Go Fish near The Pearl reinventing itself yet again as oyster bar

Has Go Fish finally found its sea legs, or is it floundering?          

The Pearl-area eatery has reinvented itself for a fourth time since its January 2023 inception — this time as an oyster bar.

When the business launched, it was a fish market concept where patrons could take home their purchase or have them prepped to eat on-site. But, by the time Ron Bechtol reviewed Go Fish for the Current months later, it had abandoned that model, serving small seafood plates and chilling bottles of sparkling and white wine on ice rather than filets of ultra-fresh snapper and trout.

Then, in June of this year, the restaurant soft-announced a new “no-fish” menu, featuring smash burgers and hot dogs, MySA reported.

Now, it’s pivoted once again, this time adopting the oyster bar concept of sister eatery Little Em’s in Southtown. Both are owned by Houston and Emily Carpenter, the husband-wife team also behind Southtown’s Up Scale and sushi concept Nineteen Hyaku.

“Go Fish Wine & Oyster Bar is excited to announce its rebranding, marking a bold new chapter as part of the Carpenter Carpenter restaurant family,” spokeswoman May Carlson said in an email. “Following the success of Little Em’s Oyster Bar in Southtown, Go Fish is stepping into its sister concept’s shoes, offering the same fresh, coastal-inspired dishes and vibrant atmosphere that have made Little Em’s a local hotspot.”

Carlson said Go Fish has struggled with a lack of accessibility, both on foot and by car.

“As you know, construction and walkability have posed challenges for many businesses ‘West of Pearl,’ including ours,” she added. “But we’re more determined than ever to move forward!”

To celebrate its newest iteration, Go Fish will now offer a 6-7 p.m. happy hour Wednesday through Sunday. Guests can indulge in $1 East Coast oysters and enjoy select wines for $6 a glass.

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This article appears in Oct 16-29, 2024.